New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-04-26
Trade Envoys
I'm Berlin Are
Mystery Here
Bankers Know Nothing of
Four ssAlnerican Business
Men, Who Urged Appeal
TO u. S. ON Preparations
Billion Credit Vnl,eard Of

De Friese, Moldenke and
Helm Identified; Hoefler
Known as Brazilian Agent
Following publication here yesterday
Of a Berlin dispatch which told Of the
private negotiations of flour Ameri-
can business men" with the German
Foreign Minister, Dr. Walter Simons,
in the PREPARATIONS issue, inquiry among
leading bankers and financial interests
Of this city developed that little is
known of the quartet and still less IA
known of their mission. Information
from Washington last night indicated
that an entirely new effort to adjust
the peace scales in behalf of the de-
feated power Is being made.
The Americans named as having sug-
gested to the German Foreign Minister
that the reparations issue be placed
before President Harding are Lafay-
in London and this city, chairman of
the quartet; DR.. Richmond Moldenke,
mining engineer and metallurgist, of
Watching, N. j.; Ludwig M. Hoefier, an
attorney, of San Francisco, and Frank
lin Helm, who lives at the Seymour
Hotel here.
The four were reported to have gone
to Berlin several weeks ago to negotiate
S1,000,000.000 credit in America
for raw materials with German tinan-
ciers. The leader, De Frese, was said
to have admitted that they were re-
sponsible for the suggestion that DR..
President Harding for arbitration.
Senator New Receives Cables
The Tribune's Washington CORE
spondent says Senator New of In
diana has been surprised in the last
few days by the receipt of cables from
Berlin from Frank Helm, of Indian
apolis," one Of the Americans credited
with inducing the German government
to make it's recent proposal. that the
United States mediate the PREPARATIONS
problem. Senator New also has re-
ceived one or more letters from Helm
He is said to know Helm slightly.
These messages are, in effect, pleas
for leniency for Germany in fixing
reparations. They were evidently sent
to Senator New with the knowledge he
is member of the Senate Foreign Re-
lations Committee and friend of the
President. Under date of April 81 the
following cablegram was sent to the
Senator from Berlin:
Have cabled Shaw and Rutan to call
upon you and explain situation here,
which is most critical. Kindly give
your aid on the side Of justice and
prevent world calamity. Am cabling
only after thorough investigation with
party of American experts and law
yers. These people not asking exemp-
tions. They are willing to pay to ut
most, and only that this be decided
by unprecedented investigation and not
by hatred: England and France have
possible. Why should they be permit
ted to bring about world calamity
which would mean much to the United
States? This government of the people
is struggling under great difficulties
from monarchy to republic. Enormous
demand for our raw products is only
held up by threats of May l."
The foregoing was signed Helm"
German People Inspired
Three days later. on April "a, SEN
ator New was sent the following addi-
tional cablegram:
l. NcIAdu people INSPIRED WIN new
hope and feeling saved from utter an
Inhalation by our epochal state paper
disclosures on impartial hearing. villa
| shock conscience of world. Authorita-
tive facts follow. Helm"
And under date Of April 25:
Have completed plans for furnish
ing raw materials, which in cotton
alone means over 1000 900 bales cotton,
but all depends upon action Of France
May l. If they are permitted to carry
out their plans the result will be diff
cult to imagine. We have finished our
detailed economical studies with some
of the best impartial experts and legal
talent and they all agree that the
United States has much at stake. Some
Of the Allied nations exactions are
already sufficient to make these free
people desperate. Helm"
Helm is said to represent syndicate
of bankers who were to undertake the
arrangement Of the billion dollar loan.
This could not be verified here. Proni-
nent financiers who said they knew
nothing Of the activities Of these four
men and that their first news concern
ing them was obtained from the morn
ing newspaper that published the Ber-
lin dispatch were Paul M. Warburg,
George E. Roberts, of the National City
Bank; John V. McHugh, president of
the Mechanics and Metals National
Bank and director in number Of
other banking corporations, and an Off
cial Of j. P. Morgan & Co. None had
ever heard of the four mentioned in
connection with the private negotia-
tons.
Helm Known as Promoter
Helm is known more or less nation
ally as a promoter and has figured, it
was learned yesterday, in number of
enterprises involving some sensational
litigation in this country. Recently he
has been living in New York, at IL
East Forty-hfth Street, and at the
Seymour Hotel, in West Forty-fifth
Street, at which latter place he has
an apartment with his wife. 1t was
said there last night that he and his
wife had gone to Europe about month
ago and would return some time next
month.
Pliny Fisk, one of the owners of the
apartment house at II East Forty
fifth Street and member of the firm
of Harvey Fisk & Sons, brokers, of
this city, said he knew Helm as he had
known a thousand other business men