New-York tribune., 1922-06-21
Hague to Hear
Complaints of
Red Creditors
Investors Who Have Lost
Money or Property in
Russia Invited TO Sub.
nit Facts to Conference
Long Session Is Forecast
Big American Corporations
To Be Given Opportunity
TO Present Their Claims
By Wilbur 7 orrest



Cony-ish, 1919 New York Tribune Inc.
THE HAGUE. June Ca formal in
vitation was dispatched 20 Moscow by
twenty-five Western powers here TO-
day inviting Russia 20 send delega-
tion 20 The Hague for conversations,
beginning Monday. and acquainting the
Bolsheviki with the procedure 20 he
followed AZ the gathering. Meanwhile
the delegates here settled down 70
group conferences on questions to be
discussed
The British announced that they had
decided 20 ask every Briton wno has
any claims against Russia 70 come 20
The Hague and make his comp laint m
person II he desires. Or 20 hle sucn
complaint here 50 that il will he on
record British subjects have invest
ments in Russia amounting 20 more
than $4,000 100000.
British Example Followed
The British example Of making The
Hague gathering a general testimonial
meeting for Russian creditors was i'm
mcdiately adopted by several other
nations. including the French and Bel
gians. who stand next % Great Britain
N the amount of their investment IN
chaotic Russia II IS expected that
other delegations will adopt this plan
or bidding their nationals 10 come
here and unburden themselves. thus
filing the Dutch capital for the next
few weeks with persons who have been
waiting for years 10 tell some com
petent court what they think OF
Bolshevism.
Under these conditions, n was esti-
mated to-day that ;he conferences here
would last AZ least two months, per
haps three. with a group Of Bolshevik
delegates on the ground, where they
will be able 10 hear daily n severe CON
demnation Of their regime from those
who have an actual personal interest
either in realizing something from the
wreck or in having the satisfaction Of
saying what they think for public
record.
The gathering here now promises
som. human interest and will be not
unlike the American Senate's investi-
eating commission on the Mexican bor-
der three years ago. when American
colonists who had been ruined By the
Mexican revolution told their stories
Of murder. outrage and arson.
Americans will be heard AZ The
Hague along with other nationals,
either personally or by sling their
complaints with any OF the various
delegations. The inside story Of the
Russian regimes treatment OF the In
ternational Harvester Company and
other great concerns therefore may be
anticipated. II is understood that the
Swedish delegation already has offered
20 represent the interests OF the
Standard Oil Company.
Frenchmen probably will be here in
largest numbers. az they hold the bulk
OF the bonds OF the Czarist govern
ment.
The Leading delegates OF the powers
that are directing the conference -
Great Britain. France Italy. Japan.
Belgium and Hollsnd-met informally
a. The Peace Palace this afternoon 70
discuss plans FOR tomorrow full
meeting. This is expected 10 be the
final pariey Of al the powers before
IN. arrival of the Russians. i will
decide on the personnel ~ onc genera
commission and three sub-comn iss'ons
and eject president II is nosslble
tina. the British will draw the chair
manship Of the sub-commiss IN
credits and France that on private
property
Dutch ycIed AT Reds
The Dutch government is extremely
annoyed over the peaceful but well at
tended gathering Of Dutch Communists
here Sunday. in which fiery speeches or
protest against the conference were
made. an the ground that II il designed
10 undermine the Bolsheyik govern
ment's hold on Russia. Measures are
being taken 10 prevent further demon.
strations Of this kind. by force II
necessary. and all Dutch Communists
are under close surveillance. The
governments force consists Of one
crack infantry battalion, a sprinklirg
Of cavalry and one battery Of artillery,
now confined in barracks a. The Hague.
Tn. rattle Of machine guns In practice,
heard this afternoon among the sand
dunes adjacent to tn. North Sea dyke.
indicated that the Dutch government
vas prepared and will be stern II the
Communists insist on making the con
ference en- excuse for further Red sgi-
tstion. The Dutch troops ostensibly are
TO be used 20 guard the Moscow dele
gates from possible annoyance from
Russian royalists who are ssylumed In
Holland in considerable numbers.