The last l i ne of lhe Lansing cable as wriuen, was nm transmiued lO Petrograd. The line read: "Cannot arrangements be made lO send these messages through Russian channels?" How can we assess these cables and the parries involved? Clearly the Morgan-Rockefeller interests were nol interested i n abiding b y international law. There is obvious intent i n lhese cables to supply loans lo belligerents. There was no hesitation on the parl of these firms lo use Stale Department facilities for the negotiations. Funher, in spile of protests, the Stale Department allowed the mes sages lO go through. · Finally, and most interesting for subsequent events, Olof Aschberg, the Swedish banker, was a prominent panic ipam and intermediary in the negotiations on behalf of Guaranty Trusl. Lel us therefore take a closer look al Olof Aschberg. OLOF ASCHBERG IN NEW YORK, 1916
Olof Aschberg, the "Bolshevik Banker" (or "Bankier der Wehrevo lulion," as he has been called in the German press), was owner of the Nya Banken, founded 1 9 1 2 in Stockholm. His codireclors in cluded prominent members of Swedish cooperatives and Swedish socialists, including G. W. Dahl, K. G. Rosling, and C. Gerhard Magnusson.t8 In 1 9 1 8 Nya Banken was placed on lhe Allied black list for its financial operations in behalf of Germany. In response lo the blacklisting, Nya Banken changed its name lo Svensk E kono miebolagel. The bank remained under the comrol of Aschberg, and was mainly owned by him. The bank's London agenl was the British Bank of Nonh Commerce, whose chairman was Earl Grey, former associate of Cecil Rhodes. Others in Aschberg's interesting circle of business associates included Krassin, who was until the Bolshevik Revolution (when he changed color lo emerge as a leading Bolshe vik) Russian manager of Siemens-Schuken in Pelrograd; Carl Furst enberg, minister of finance in lhe first Bolshevik government; and Max May, vice president in charge of foreign operations for Guar anty Trust of New York. Olof Aschberg thought so highly of Max May that a photograph of May is included in Aschberg's book. 19 18. Olof Aschberg, En Vandrande jude Friin Glasbrultsgatan (Stockholm: Alben Bonniers Forlag, n.d.), pp. 98-99, which is included in Memoarer (Stockholm: Albert Bonniers Forlag, 1 946). See also Giistbohen (Stockholm: Tidens Fbrlag, 1955) for further material on Aschberg. 19. Aschberg, p. 1 23.
57
