Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-03
RAIDS IN Argentina.
BLOCK SOv|ETPLANS
World Revolution Receives
Setback In Drive on
Branch" Of Amtorg.
BY JOHN w. WHITE.


~ Gable to The star.
MONTEVIDEo, Uruguay, August 3.
The raiding Of the Yuyamtorg (the
Soviet trading company In Buenos
Aires) by Argentine police Is the sever
est blow to the soviets' plan for world
Wide revolution since the British police
raided ARGOS House in London several
years ago. The Yuyamtorg has been
the center Of Soviet political activities
in South America. It sent agitators
to stir up trouble in Brazil. UruguAy,
Paraguay, Chile and Bolivia and cleverly
used its commercial activities 10 create
political unrest.
Boris Kraevsky, who founded the Yu-
yamtorg o. the Argentine branch Of
the Amtorg Trading Corporation Co.
Of New York, Is one Of the most astute
plotters the Soviets ever sent abroad.
It was he who negotiated Uruguay's
diplomatic recognition Of the Soviet
Union several years ago.
When he explained ct that time the
Soviets' plan to send an Ambassador TO
Uruguay, he was asked why he was
not appointed Ambassador. He replied,
Perhaps they think my work here
more important than that Of an Am
bassador."
The Argentine embassy in London
had refused to visa Mr.. KraevSky's
passport for Argentina. He went tc
New York and obtained an Argentine
visa In the United States.
Has High Post in Moscow.
The Amtorg has since stoutly denied
any relationship with the Ynyamtorg
but Mr.. Kraevsky has been back in the
United States several times on q spe-
cial visa permitting him to remain only
six months. He now holds an impor-
tant position In Moscow and the
Yuyamtorg's activities are In the hands
Of q high commissioner.
Mr.. Karevsky's trip to Europe was
unintentional. AS soon as the revolu-
ton was victorious in Rio Janeiro. Mr.
Kraevsky took the first steamer to Rio
but authorities forbade him to come
ashore
Communist agitators, led by agents
from Buenos Aires, were troublesome In
Rio Janeiro during the early days fol-
lowing the victorious entry OF the
revolutionary army and the provisional
government stood them against the
walls and shot them without trial. The
military censor at Rio Janerio said
more than 100 Communist agitators
were thus shot there.
The Paraguayan secret police identi-
fed several Of Mr.. Kraevsky's agents
among agitators sent to Asuncion few
years ago to organize q Communist
demonstration against the American
legation there.
Trade and Politics Linked.
Argentine newspapers at one time re-
ported that 1000 professional agttators
were attached to the Yuyamtors In
BuenoS Aires.
There has always been the closest
interlocking of the Yuyamtorg's COM
mercial and political activities. Heavy
purchases of hides or other raw ma
terials for export have invariably been
accompanied by widespread active
propaganda.
In Paraguay the Yuyamtorg's pur-
chaSes of hides were used for similar
pressure in favor of diplomatic recog-
milton. In Chile it was nitrate; in
Bolivia, tin; in Uruguay. wool. Coffee
was to have been put to the same use
in Brazil, but the Brazilian government
always has been suspicious Of the
Soviet's commercial activities.
The Yuyamtorgs purchases of hides
and other products were always spec
tacular. It's agents would wait until
the market was sluggish and prices low
and would then enter the market with
bang, buy tremendous quantities,
sending up prices.
Even the loading of these purchases
on steamers bound for the Soviet Union
presented an opportunity for COM
munist propaganda. The Yuyamtore
paid stevedores all sorts Of overtime
and other bonuses.
Since the Soviet five-year plan has
been producing manufactured goods
under state control, the Yuyamtorg has
added importation to It's activities.
(Copyright. .9S1)