Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-12
NEVER SOUGHT
} TO AID SOVIETS,
SAYS HAPGOOD
George Harvey's Charges
Sheer Lies Declares For
mer Envoy to Denmark.
VISITING BROTHER HERE

AsdDenouncing allegations that he
was friendly with the soviet govern
ment of Russia and that he sought
financial aid for it in New York as
"sheer lies" Norman Hapgood, for
mer minister to Denmark, today
made a statement to a Times re-
aOrter in reply to a second attack
on him by Harvey's Weekly.
Mr. Hapgood is visiting at the home of
his brother. William P. Hapgood, 1921
North Meridian street. Mr.. Hapgood was
NOT reappointed when his interim appoint
ment as minister to Denmark expired.
This fact caused considerable comment.
He explained that he did not seek reap
pointment because he believed that any
additional controversy at Washington
should be avoided for the public wei
fare.
In his first article George Harvey
writing in Harvey's Weekly, said that
Mr.. Hapgood was a "plenipotentiary OF
Lenine and Trotsky," that he had made
the American legation at Copenhagen
trading post for the soviet government,
that he made repeated overtures to Wall
street to finance the bolsheviki, and
that it was on these grounds that the
senate committee failed to ratify his nom
nation
NEVER DEALT
WITH soVIETs.
To- the charges that he was a 'plen-
ipotentiary of Lenine and Trotzky," and
that he conducted a trading post for
the soviet government, Mr.. Hapgood
simply makes fat denials. He says he
never had any dealings with any repre-
sentatives Of the soviet government. Mr..
Hapgood said he has been opposed to
communism all his life
Mr. Hapgood said he had some dealings
egth- Alexander Berkenheim, an anti-bol-
shevik Russian, representing the Russian
cooperative association. He said that
Mr.. Berkenheim opposed the blockade
and wished to establish credit with
private firms in this country.
His belief was that the best way
to overcome bolshevism was to restore
trade" Mr.. Hapgood said. Agreeing
In this view, I gave Mr.. Berkenheim cor
dial letters to officials of our govern
ment."
Mr.. Hapgood also told of dining at
New York club with representatives
of the Guaranty Trust Company and Of
discussing with them his views of the
Russian trade situation. In his second
article Mr.. Harvey refers to this and
to the fact that Mr.. Hapgood
had travelled to Paris with William II.
Hamilton of the Guaranty Trust COM
pany. He also publishes the letter given
Mr. Berkenheim.
SECOND ATTACK
BENEATH NOTICE.
Mr.. Hapgcod's statement in reply to
This last article follows:
.M'George Harvey's second attack is
rdly worth answering. The statement
Nat I sought the meeting with rhe
Edaranty Trust company is a sheer lie.
az Invitation to dine with them was
&alephoned me several times befCre &C
BNeptcd 1t.
'.The point about France is particularly
amusing. Everybody knows that pass
port lists follow certain formal rules.
Ire formality that put me on the French
lists vas that I travelled to Paris in
1915 wi h William H. Hamilton now Of
the Guaranty Trust company and that
Hamilton afterward went to Germany.
NOBODY who understands passports in
wartime viii be surprised at the fact
that every French wise from that time
on was accompanied by the questions
whether I had travelled with Hamilton
and whether it was true that he had sub
sequently gone to Germany.
Concerning the letter published by
Harvey, it is the same one Of which
the substance had already been made
public by me-"
Mr.. Hapgood said that his views on
bolshevism had nothing to do with the
action of the senate committee, but that
hostility developed before the dinner
with representatives Of the trust com
pany.
'I believe that bolshevism is strength
ened by the blockade not only in Russia,
but elsewhere in proportion as Europe
suffers from the inability to get raw
materials and food from Russia and to
send her manufactured articles in re
turn" Mr.. Hapgood said. There will be
no recovery in central Europe until
Russia is opened. More people are COM
ing to realize that the best way to kill
boIshevism is to stimulate trade OF every
kind"