Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-11
MEXICAN PAPERS
TRACED TOBAKER
Journalist Declares Docu-
ments Taken From Mexico
Intended for Government.

Another chapter vas made public yes
terday afternoon on the activities cs the
Senate committee which for more than
yea has had Under investigation
Mexican and Russian forged docu-
ments. when it developed that State
Department official had appeared before
the committee and told of the diSap-
pearance and subsequent recovery OF
200 or more papers belonging to the
American embassy in Mexico City. They
were turned over. the testimony said,
by George Barr Baker, former news
paper man. but where Mr.. Baker got
them was not made clear.
Incidentally. the testimony showed
that Senator Borah of Idaho, who with
Senator Norris of Nebraska. wGS named
in documents published Wednesday as
having received 100000 each from
Soviet Russia, had demanded an off,
cial investigation by the American Gov
eminent to determine who forged these
papers which were branded as spurious
by Chairman Reed of the committee.
Borah said he had initiated steps TO
have the Russian government find uot
who the fOrger was.
The committees record also included
a typewriter note purporting to show
had authorized payments to Ivy Lee,
who owns a New York publicity Organi-
cation, and who recently wrote a book
on Russia.
Typewriter Believed Clue.
The record likewise embodied a state
ment from Chairman Reed that there
is reason to believe that the typewriter
on which they (the documents) were
written is one of those which was in the
Soviet embassy at Paris" Beyond this,
however, he said the committee had
been unable to find out who manufac-
tured the papers.
Under questioning by the committee,
headed by Senator Reed, Republican,
of Pennsylvania, Arthur Bliss Lane,
chief of the Mexican affairs division
of the State Department, recounted that
a year ago the State Department, after
negotiations, obtained almost 800 papers
from Baker which had come from
Mexico, and 200 Of which were genuine
documents taken from the American
embassy.
Mr.. Lane said he did not know how
Mr.. Baker had come into possession OF
the papers. but he said he had been in
formed that Baker had arranged in
Mexico to obtain them. although he had
not actually brought them to this coun-
try.
"Drastic" Methods Employed.
Senator johnson. Republican of Cali
fornia, asked if it did not require CON
siderable effort on the part of the State
Department" to obtain the documents
fror1 Mr. Baker.
II was not here at the time" Lane
replied, but understand that was the
case"
"They obtained these documents from
johnson insisted.
well. I think they obtained them IN
a roundabout way Lane answered.
Advised in New York of the Senate de-
velopment, Baker repeated that he had
not brought the documents to this
country.
Il did not bring those documents
into this country" said Mr.. Baker.
II was influential in having them sent
into this country to an agency of this
Government for the express purpose
Of being turned over to this Government.
They were not in my possession. No
effort was required to have them turned
over to the Government because the
only interest I had in them was In
getting them to our Government when
/ had learned of their existence"
Questioning also developed testimony
that Mr.. Baker was sort of Jason
officer between Mr.. Hoover and the
press" on the recent Latin American
good will tour. Among the Baker docu-
ments were some spurious" ones, Mr..
Lane said purporting to show I'M
friendly acts by this Government
toward Mexico. Who removed the docu-
ments from the American embassy was
not revealed. These documents were
different from the Mexican documents
published in number of Hearst news
papers about year ago.
Chairman Reed, in reply to Senator
Norris. said that the committee had
clue" which he hoped would lead TO
the discovery of the forger of the Rus
sian documents. Senator Bofah re-
quested that the State Department ask
the Soviet government to help find the
forgers.
Lee Credit Is Established. :
The name of Ivy Lee was found in
two typewriter memorandas, which
Senator Reed said he had received re-
Gently. He did not disclose the source
of the papers. One of the memoranda, !.
purporting to give the substance of a
letter by the Soviet Ambassador Rako-
wiSky at Paris to one Kempner of the
Commercial Bank for North Europe in
Paris, was recorded in the committee
testimony as saying in substance
please pay to Mr.. Ivy Lee. or the
person duly authorized by him. the
amount indicated to cover all his ex-
penses contemplated by the special &C
count of Narkomindel N $50 NJ. w.
AT the same time notify officially Mr..
Ivy Lee, or his representative. that
there has been put at his disposition a
complementary credit provided for by
his arrangement with Moscow.
These complementary credits and
the increase in the normal amount of
the periodical payments should also be
put to the special account of Narko-
minded N 361 M w concerning Senator
Borah."
BAND CONCERT.