Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-12-02
LENIN ASKS TO
EXCHANGE FURS
FOR u. GRAIN
Russian Premier Admits Com
munistic Program Has
Gone to Bottom.
SEES WAR WITH JAPAN

By FARLEY P. CHRISTENSEN.
Farmer-Labor Candidate for President.
RIGA, Dec. 2-Feed our famine
victims and your wives Will wear furs."
This is the message OF Premier Lenin
of Russia to the American farmers. 1t
was given to me IN a two day interview
in which Lenin:
l. Predicted a war between the
United States and JapanJ
e. Admitted his soviet communicate
program lad gone right to the
bottom"
sTUDIEs
CONDITIONS.
went to Moscow Oct. Is, as chairman
Of the Russian trade relations com
mission. I studied conditions and visited
many factories, warehouses, courts,
schools and hospitals.
No particular attention was paid to my
presence until Saturday when I received
a message from one OF the Peoples Com
missaries whom found upon inVestiga-
ton to be Lenin, saying he wanted to
see me-
Glad to see you Christensen" said
Lenin as he received me courteously at
the Kremlin. He spoke excellent Eng
lish. We had a two-hour conversation.
After had responded TO this greeting
and also had spoken to a number OF
farmers and workers who were in an
anteroom. Lenin's first question was:
LEEIN TALKS OF
CAPITALIsTIC WAR.
what about the war between Japan
and American"
II do not think a war is likely" re-
piled
There's bound to be a capitaIistic
war" insisted the premier
I have not been to Japan" 1 said
but l know that Japan and America are
TRENDS Not only their governments. but
their people are friendly"
But" replied Lenin, you know war
is the very best industry Of the capital
lists and that is the kind Of government
you have"
Il do not believe a war with Japan
is possible" said. The world has had
enough OF war"
Lenin's response was emphatic. He
said
'oh. no, It hasn't One Is bound to
come It's brewing now"
sKEPTICAL OF
DISARMAMENT RESULTS.
We then turned to the disarmament
conference and Lenin said:
Il do not know, but fear that there
viii not be much Of a result-perhaps
some alliances. Don't you think an An
Observation-Disclosures alliance is the
most probabIel"
81 hope there viii be no alliance lead
ing to misunderstanding and troubles"
/ said. Lsnin questioned me with re-
gard to the feeling between America anc
Great Britain. I told him It is very
friendly that America is practically at
peace with the whole world; that l knew
there are many Americans who are any
thing but friendly to Britain, but the
people Of both countries generally are
friendly and their governments certainly
are.
ASKS TO EXCHANGE
FURs FOR GRAIN.
When mentioned the Russian famine
he said:
''The work is progressing quite as we
expected, but we need more grain Winter
is coming and the situation Will be
worse. Why don't American farmers
send Us wheat and receive our raw ma
terisls ?"
What have your" I asked.
Feed our famine victims and weay
furs," replied Lenin quickly. 1--WE can
put furs on your wives. We have mex
haustible supplies Of minerals, forests
to make pulp for years, bristles, caviar,
etc"
why don't you do business with usP
It's your fault, otherwise you would
have all the champagne you needed"
Lenin said he appreciated my congrat-
ulations sent last year to the British
labor party on its decision to discon-
tinue making munitions to support the
Poles in a war on Russia. He asked
me to come in the next day and continue
the conversations.
Returning the next day, the premier
asked whether 1 had enjoyed a good
meal after our last talk. When I gave
him a positive Affirmative Lenin ex-
claimed:
"Goodl You're in a good humor. You
must send US wheat"
I promised TO do my utmost and
askedi
"what happened to your program1"
SOVIET PROGRAM
GOES TO BOTTOM.
TITS all gone right to the bottom, the
soviet program, as wei as mine" he said.
Lenin then said:
ST want to have a photograph taken
OF myself and you, the representative Of
the American farmers. It will show Len
IN and Christensen talking about send
ing American wheat Co the famine victims.
the next capitalistic war between America
and Japan, and discussing Christensen's
letter to the British Labor party"
The Premier wrote this title for the
photograph on piece OF paper and hand
ed 1t 10 me and then we sat for several
Photographs together and parted In the
most friendly manner.
Lenin put his automobile at my dis
posal Two commissaries rode with me
to the station. received an excellent i'm
preston OF Lenin and returned more en-
thusiastic than when I went to Russia,
absolutely convinced that there are i'm
mediate large business possibilities with
that eountry-Copyright 1921. by United