The New York herald., 1920-01-11
MARTENS, IMMUNE,
PLEADS CAUSE OF
SOVIET RUSSIA
Ambassador" in Custody of
Senate Committee, Flouts De-
partment of Justice.
Herald Bureau.
No. 1,5O2 III Street, N. W.
WlAhfn gtOu. ID. q. Saturday

y
That he merely seeks to present the
case OF soviet Russia to the American
people, and that he cares little what hap
pens to him. is the position of c. A. K
Martens. the self-called Ambassador
from the Bolshevild government.
Martens. now in the custody of the Sem
ate Subcommittee, headed by Senator
Moses. of New Hampshire. is immune
from arrest by Department of Justice
his testimony to the committee. He ex-
poets to appear Monday, although there
may be some delay. owing to the possible
enforced absence of his counsel.
At the Department of Justice there was
grim silence as to what was intended as
the course OF action relative to Martens
IT was apparent that the Department does
not relish the situation, in which the
Martens group appears to have placed
the Secret Service agents of Mr.. Palmer's
office.
Just n Block Away.
While there has been much talk Of ar
resting Martens, and while it has been
understood that the Washington police
did succeed in arreStins some unidentified
person, Martens has all the time been in
touch with his secretary, Mr. NuerteVa-
snd other Of his suite at their headquar-
ters at the Lafayette Hotel, which is
about a block distant from the Depart
ment Of Justice.
With the serving upon him last night
of the Senate's subpoena there was no
longer any need for concealement, and
blonde, bland and amiable, his blue eyes
fwinkling, the soft spoken Ambassador
Df Ill that is left of all the Russias talked
Freely with newspaper representatives.
Asked as to his purpose in his seeming
desire to appear before the Senate COM
mittee, Mr.. Martens said he was desirous
only of presenting the case of the Soviet
government to the American people. He
said there were many misconceptions con-
cerning the government he claims to
represent, and that he welcomed an op-
portunity to dispel them He said his OBJ
Ject In coming to America was to seek
recognition for the Soviet government and
he believed that could be and would be
accomplished.
Economic necessity he said, will
force upon the world tho need Of recog-
pizing the Soviet government"
Asked as to the possibility Of further
Soviet penetration into Siberia, Martens
said he did not believe IL would progress
very far. but felt greatly encouraged over
the recent reports of Bolshevih success.
Promises to Talk Freely.
Martens declared he would have no
reservations in his testimony before the
Senate committee, but would answer any
questions asked so far as he could. He
said he would not refuse to answer Ques-
tions as he did before the Lusk Com
mittee. claiming that the questions put
MP to him by that committee were 50
framed as to put him In bad" no matter
how he answered them
More warrants Ont for Reds In Chicago.
CHICAGO. saturday.-warrant were
issued today by Judge Hugo Pam, for the
seven members Of the County Executive
Board of the Communist Labor party. |
They are charged with conspiring to
violate the new State anti-syndicalism
law. Detectives are hunting for the men.
Edgar Owens, State secretary of the
Communist Labor party, who was arrested
an Moline H., last Wednesday, was ar
raigned before Judge Pam this morning.
and held in $4,000 bond. Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Heth told the Court that
Owens is the leader of the Communists
of Illinois.
One of the seven for whom Heth OBJ
tanned warrants today, was formerly en-
poyed by the Assistant States Attorney
az q law clerk He is Samuel M. Ash.
Evidence purporting TO show collusion
bc tween Russian Bosheviki and the Com
nunist Labor party Of Chicago in an at
tempt TO overturn the government of the I
United States, will be submitted to the 1
special Grand Jury Investigating radical
activities here when II reconvenes Thurs
day, said Henry A. Berger, Assistant
states Attorney. today.
Examination of the archivs OF the Com
launist Labor party seized at Moline,
H.. disclosed Ludwig c. A. X. Martens |
was in communication with leaders of the
party the States Attorneys office an
nounced