DOCUMENT NO. 1
Cable from Ambassador Francis in Petrograd to the Department
of State in Washington, D.C., dated March 14, 1917, and reporting the first
stage of the Russian Revolution (861.00/273).
Petrograd
Dated March 14, 1917,
Recd. 15th, 2:30 a.m.
Secretary of State,
Washington
1287. Unable to send a cablegram since the eleventh.
Revolutionists have absolute control in Petrograd and are making strenuous
efforts to preserve order, which successful except in rare instances. No
cablegrams since your 1251 of the ninth, received March eleventh. Provisional
government organized under the authority of the Douma which refused to obey the
Emperor's order of the adjournment. Rodzianko, president of the Douma, issuing
orders over his own signature. Ministry reported to have resigned. Ministers
found are taken before the Douma, also many Russian officers and other high
officials. Most if not all regiments ordered to Petrograd have joined the
revolutionists after arrival. American colony safe. No knowledge of any injuries
to American citizens.
FRANCIS,
American Ambassador
On receipt of the preceding cable, Robert Lansing, Secretary
of State, made its contents available to President Wilson (861.00/273):
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
My Dear Mr. President:
I enclose to you a very important cablegram which has just
come from Petrograd, and also a clipping from the New York WORLD of this
morning, in which a statement is made by Signor Scialoia, Minister without
portfolio in the Italian Cabinet, which is significant in view of Mr. Francis'
report. My own impression is that the Allies know of this matter and I presume
are favorable to the revolutionists since the Court party has been, throughout
the war, secretely pro-German.
Faithfully yours,
ROBERT LANSING
Enclosure:
The President,
The White House
COMMENT
The significant phrase in the Lansing-Wilson letter is
"My own impression is that the Allies know of this matter and I presume are
favorable to the revolutionists since the Court party has been, throughout the
war, secretely pro-German." It will be recalled (chapter two) that
Ambassador Dodd claimed that Charles R. Crane, of Westinghouse and of Crane Co.
in New York and an adviser to President Wilson, was involved in this first
revolution.
DOCUMENT NO. 2
Memorandum from Great Britain Foreign Office file FO 371/
2999 (The War — Russia), October 23, 1917, file no. 3743.
DOCUMENT
Personal (and) Secret.
Disquieting rumors have reached us from more than one source
that Kerensky is m German pay and that he and his government are doing their
utmost to weaken (and) disorganize Russia, so as to arrive at a situation when
no other course but a separate peace would be possible. Do you consider that
there is any ground for such insinuations, and that the government by refraining from any
effective action are purposely allowing the Bolshevist elements to grow
stronger?
If it should be a question of bribery we might be able to
compete successfully if it were known how and through what agents it could be
done, although it is not a pleasant thought.
COMMENT
Refers to information that Kerensky was in German pay.
DOCUMENT NO. 3
Consists of four parts:
(a) Cable from Ambassador Francis, April 27, 1917, in
Petrograd to Washington, D.C., requesting transmission of a message from
prominent Russian Jewish bankers to prominent Jewish bankers in New York and
requesting their subscription to the Kerensky Liberty Loan (861.51/139).
(b) Reply from Louis Marshall (May 10, 1917) representing
American Jews; he declined the invitation while expressing support for the
American Liberty Loan (861.51/143).
(c) Letter from Jacob Schiff of Kuhn, Loeb (November 25,
1918) to State Department (Mr. Polk) relaying a message from Russian Jewish
banker Kamenka calling for Allied help against the Bolsheviks
("because Bolshevist government does not represent Russian People").
(d) Cable from Kamenka relayed by Jacob
Schiff.
DOCUMENTS
(a) Secretary of State
Washington.
1229, twenty-seventh.
Please deliver following to Jacob Schiff, Judge Brandies
[sic],
Professor Gottheil, Oscar Strauss [sic], Rabbi Wise, Louis Marshall
and Morgenthau:
"We
Russian Jews always believed that liberation of
Russia meant also our liberation. Being deeply devoted to country we placed
implicit trust temporary Government. We know the unlimited economic power of
Russia and her immense natural resources and the emancipation we obtained will
enable us to participate development country. We firmly believe that victorious
finish of the war owing help our allies and United States is near.
Temporary Government issuing now new public loan of freedom
and we feel our national duty support loan high vital for war and freedom. We
are sure that Russia has an unshakeable power of public credit and will easily
bear a.11 necessary financial burden. We formed special committee of Russian
Jews for supporting loan consisting representatives financial, industrial
trading circles and leading public men.
We inform you here of and request our brethern beyong
[sic]
the seas to support freedom of Russian which became now case humanity and
world's civilization. We suggest you form there special committee and let us
know of steps you may take Jewish committee support success loan of freedom.
Boris Kamenka, Chairman, Baron Alexander Gunzburg, Henry Silosberg."
FRANCIS
* * * * *
(b) Dear Mr. Secretary:
After reporting to our associates the result of the interview
which you kindly granted to Mr. Morgenthau, Mr. Straus and myself, in regard to
the advisability of calling for subscriptions to the Russian Freedom Loan as
requested in the cablegram of Baron Gunzburg and Messrs. Kamenka and Silosberg
of Petrograd, which you recently communicated to us, we have concluded to act
strictly upon your advice. Several days ago we promised our friends at Petrograd
an early reply to their call for aid. We would therefore greatly appreciate the
forwarding of the following cablegram, provided its terms have your approval:
"Boris Kamenka,
Don Azov Bank, Petrograd.
Our State Department which we have consulted regards any
present attempt toward securing public subscriptions here for any foreign loans
inadvisable; the concentration of all efforts for the success of American war
loans being essential, thereby enabling our Government to supply funds to its
allies at lower interest rates than otherwise possible. Our energies to help the
Russian cause most effectively must therefore necessarily be directed to
encouraging subscriptions to American Liberty Loan. Schiff, Marshall, Straus,
Morgenthau, Wise, Gonheil."
You are of course at liberty to make any changes in the
phraseology of this suggested cablegram which you may deem desirable and which
will indicate that our failure to respond directly to the request that has come
to us is due to our anxiety to make our activities most efficient.
May I ask you to send me a copy of the cablegram as
forwarded, with a memorandum of the cost so that the Department may be promptly
reimbursed.
I am, with great respect,
Faithfully yours,
[sgd.] Louis Marshall
The Secretary of State
Washington, D.C.
* * * * *
(c) Dear Mr. Polk:
Will you permit me to send you copy of a cablegram received
this morning and which I think, for regularity's sake, should be brought to the
notice of the Secretary of State or your good self, for such consideration as it
might be thought well to give this.
Mr. Kamenka, the sender of this cablegram, is one of the
leading men in Russia and has, I am informed, been financial advisor both of the
Prince Lvoff government and of the Kerensky government. He is President of the
Banque de Commerce de l'Azov Don of Petrograd, one of the most important
financial institutions of Russia, but had, likely, to leave Russia with the
advent of Lenin and his "comrades."
Let me take this opportunity to send sincere greetings to you
and Mrs. Polk and to express the hope that you are now in perfect shape again,
and that Mrs. Polk and the children are in good health.
Faithfully yours,
[sgd.] Jacob H. Schiff
Hon. Frank L. Polk
Counsellor of the State Dept.
Washington, D.C.
MM-Encl.
[Dated November 25, 1918]
* * * * *
(d) Translation:
The complete triumph of liberty and right furnishes me a new
opportunity to repeat to you my profound admiration for the
noble American nation. Hope to see now quick progress on the part of the Allies
to help Russia in reestablishing order. Call your attention also to pressing
necessity of replacing in Ukraine enemy troops at the very moment of their
retirement in order to avoid Bolshevist devastation. Friendly intervention of
Allies would be greeted everywhere with enthusiasm and looked upon as democratic
action, because Bolshevist government does not represent Russian people. Wrote
you September 19th. Cordial greetings.
[sgd.] Kamenka
COMMENT
This is an important series because it refutes the story of a
Jewish bank conspiracy behind the Bolshevik Revolution. Clearly Jacob Schiff of
Kuhn, Loeb was not interested in supporting the Kerensky Liberty Loan and Schiff
went to the trouble of drawing State Department attention to Kamenka's pleas for
Allied intervention against the Bolsheviks. Obviously Schiff and fellow banker
Kamenka, unlike J.P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller, were as unhappy about the
Bolsheviks as they had been about the tsars.
DOCUMENT NO. 4
Description
Memorandum from William Boyce Thompson (director of the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York) to Lloyd George (prime minister of Great
Britain), December 1917.
DOCUMENT
FIRST
The Russian situation is lost and Russia lies entirely open
to unopposed German exploitation unless a radical reversal of policy is at once
undertaken by the Allies.
SECOND
Because of their shortsighted diplomacy, the Allies since the
Revolution have accomplished nothing beneficial, and have done considerable harm
to their own interests.
THIRD
The Allied representatives in Petrograd have been lacking in
sympathetic understanding of the desire of the Russian people to
attain democracy. Our representatives were first connected officially with the
Czar's regime. Naturally they have been influenced by that environment.
FOURTH
Meanwhile, on the other hand, the Germans have conducted
propaganda that has undoubtedly aided them materially in destroying the
Government, in wrecking the army and in destroying trade and industry. If this
continues unopposed it may result in the complete exploitation of the great
country by Germany against the Allies.
FIFTH
I base my opinion upon a careful and intimate study of the
situation both outside and inside official circles, during my stay in Petrograd
between August 7 and November 29, 1917.
SIXTH
"What can be done to improve the situation of the Allies
in Russia"?
The diplomatic personnel, both British and American, should
be changed to one democratic in spirit and capable of sustaining democratic
sympathy.
There should be erected a powerful, unofficial committee,
with headquarters in Petrograd, to operate in the background, so to speak, the
influence of which in matters of policy should be recognized and accepted by the
DIPLOMATIC, CONSULAR and MILITARY officials of the Allies. Such committee should
be so composed in personnel as to make it possible to entrust to it wide
discretionary powers. It would presumably undertake work in various channels.
The nature of which will become obvious as the task progress. es; it. would aim
to meet all new conditions as they might arise.
SEVENTH
It is impossible now to define at all completely the scope of
this new Allied committee. I can perhaps assist to a better understanding of its
possible usefulness and service by making a brief reference to the work which I
started and which is now in the hands of Raymond Robins, who is well and
favorably known to Col. Buchan — a work which in the future will undoubtedly have
to be somewhat altered and added to in order to meet new conditions. My work has
been performed chiefly through a Russian "Committee on
Civic Education" aided by Madame Breshkovsky, the Grandmother of the
Revolution. She was assisted by Dr. David Soskice, the private secretary of the
then Prime Minister Kerensky (now of London); Nicholas Basil Tchaikovsky, at one
time Chairman of the Peasants Co-operative Society, and by other substantial
social revolutionaries constituting the saving element of democracy as between
the extreme "Right" of the official and property-owning class, and the
extreme "Left" embodying the most radical elements of the socialistic
parties. The aim of this committee, as stated in a cable message from Madame
Breshkovsky to President Wilson, can be gathered from this quotation: "A
widespread education is necessary to make Russia an orderly democracy. We plan
to bring this education to the soldier in the camp, to the workman in the
factory, to the peasant in the village." Those aiding in this work realized
that for centuries the masses had been under the heel of Autocracy which had
given them not protection but oppression; that a democratic form of government
in Russian could be maintained only BY THE DEFEAT OF THE GERMAN ARMY; BY THE
OVERTHROW OF GERMAN AUTOCRACY. Could free Russia, unprepared for great
governmental responsibilities, uneducated, untrained, be expected long to
survive with imperial Germany her next door neighbor? Certainly not. Democratic
Russia would become speedily the greatest war prize the world has even known.
The Committee designed to have an educational center in each
regiment of the Russian army, in the form of Soldiers' Clubs. These clubs were
organized as rapidly as possible, and lecturers were employed to address the
soldiers. The lecturers were in reality teachers, and it should be remembered
that there is a percentage of 90 among the soldiers of Russia who can neither
read nor write. At the time of the Bolshevik outbreak many of these speakers
were in the field making a fine impression and obtaining excellent results.
There were 250 in the city of Moscow alone. It was contemplated by the Committee
to have at least 5000 of these lecturers. We had under publication many
newspapers of the "A B C" class, printing matter in the simplest
style, and were assisting about 100 more. These papers carried the appeal for
patriotism, unity and co-ordination into the homes of the workmen and the
peasants.
After the overthrow of the last Kerensky government we
materially aided the dissemination of the Bolshevik literature, distributing it
through agents and by aeroplanes to the German army. If the suggestion is permissible, it might be well to consider
whether it would not be desirable to have this same Bolshevik literature sent
into Germany and Austria across the West and Italian fronts.
EIGHTH
The presence of a small number of Allied troops in Petrograd
would certainly have done much to prevent the overthrow of the Kerensky
government in November. I should like to suggest for your consideration, if
present conditions continue, the concentration of all the British and French
Government employes in Petrograd, and if the necessity should arise it might be
formed into a fairly effective force. It might be advisable even to pay a small
sum to a Russian force. There is also a large body of volunteers recruited in
Russia, many of them included in the Inteligentzia of "Center" class,
and these have done splendid work in the trenches. They might properly be aided.
NINTH
If you ask for a further programme I should say that it is
impossible to give it now. I believe that intelligent and courageous work will
still prevent Germany from occupying the field to itself and thus exploiting
Russia at the expense of the Allies. There will be many ways in which this
service can be rendered which will become obvious as the work progresses.
COMMENT
Following this memorandum the British war cabinet changed its
policy to one of tepid pro-Bolshevism. Note that Thompson admits to distribution
of Bolshevik literature by his agents. The confusion over the date on which
Thompson left Russia (he states November 29th in this document) is cleared up by
the Pirnie papers at the Hoover Institution. There were several changes of
travel plans and Thompson was still in Russia in early December. The memorandum
was probably written in Petrograd in late November.
DOCUMENT NO. 5
DESCRIPTION
Letter dated May 9, 1918, from Felix Frankfurter (then special
assistant to the secretary of war) to Santeri Nuorteva (alias
for Alexander Nyberg), a Bolshevik agent in the United States. Listed as
Document No. 1544 in the Lusk Committee files, New York:
DOCUMENT
WAR DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON
May 9, 1918
My dear Mr. Nhorteva [sic]:
Thank you very much for your letter of the 4th. I knew you
would understand the purely friendly and wholly unofficial character of our
talk, and I appreciate the prompt steps you have taken to correct your Sirola*
letter. Be wholly assured that nothing has transpired which diminishes my
interest in the questions which you present. Quite the contrary. I am much
interested in** the considerations you are advancing and for the point of view
you are urging. The issues*** at stake are the interests that mean much for the
whole world. To meet them adequately we need all the knowledge and wisdom we can
possibly get****.
Cordially yours,
Felix Frankfurter
Santeri Nuorteva, Esq.
* Yrjo Sirola was a Bolshevik and commissar in Finland.
** Original text, "continually grateful to you for."
*** Original text, "interests."
**** Original text added "these days."
COMMENT
This letter by Frankfurter was written to Nuorteva/Nyberg, a
Bolshevik agent in the United States, at a time when Frankfurter held an
official position as special assistant to Secretary of War Baker in the War
Department. Apparently Nyberg was willing to change a letter to commissar "Sirola"
according to Frankfurter's instructions. The Lusk Committee acquired the
original Frankfurter draft including Frankfurter's changes and not the letter
received by Nyberg.
THE SOVIET BUREAU IN 1920
|
Position
|
Name
|
Citizenship
|
Born
|
Former Employment
|
| Representa
tive of USSR |
Ludwig
C.A.K. MARTENS |
German |
Russia |
V-P of Weinberg
& Posner Engineer
ing (120 Broadway) |
|
Office manager |
Gregory WEINSTEIN |
Russian |
Russia |
Journalist |
|
Secretary |
Santeri NUORTEVA |
Finnish |
Russia |
Journalist |
|
Assistant
secretary |
Kenneth DURANT |
U.S. |
U.S. |
(1) U.S. Committee on Public
Information
(2) Former aide to
Colonel House |
|
Private secre
tary to NUOR
TEVA |
Dorothy KEEN |
U.S. |
U.S. |
High school |
|
Translator |
Mary MODELL |
Russian |
Russia |
School in Russia |
|
File clerk |
Alexander COLEMAN |
U.S. |
U.S. |
High school |
|
Telephone
clerk |
Blanche ABUSHEVITZ |
Russian |
Russia |
High school |
|
Office
attendant |
Nestor KUNTZEVICH |
Russian |
Russia |
—
|
|
Military
expert |
Lt. Col. Boris Tagueeff Roustam
BEK |
Russian |
Russia |
Military critic on Daily Express
(London) |
| Commercial Department
|
|
|
|
| Director |
A. HELLER |
Russian |
U.S. |
International
Oxy
gen Company |
|
Secretary |
Ella TUCH |
Russian |
U.S. |
U.S. firms |
|
Clerk |
Rose HOLLAND |
U.S. |
U.S. |
Gary School League |
|
Clerk |
Henrietta MEEROWICH |
Russian |
Russia |
Social worker |
|
Clerk |
Rose BYERS |
Russian |
Russia |
School |
|
Statistician |
Vladimir OLCHOVSKY |
Russian |
Russia |
Russian Army |
|
Information Department
|
|
|
|
| Director |
Evans CLARK |
U.S. |
U.S. |
Princeton University |
|
Clerk |
Nora G. SMITHMAN |
U.S. |
U.S. |
Ford Peace
Expedition |
|
Steno |
Etta FOX |
U.S. |
U.S. |
War Trade Board |
—
|
Wilfred R. HUMPHRIES |
U.K. |
—
|
American Red Cross |
|
Technical Dept. |
|
|
|
|
Director |
Arthur ADAMS |
Russian |
U.S. |
—
|
| Educational Dept.
|
|
|
|
| Director |
William MALISSOFF |
Russian |
U.S. |
Columbia University |
|
Medical Dept. |
|
|
|
|
Director |
Leo A. HUEBSCH |
Russian |
U.S. |
Medical doctor |
|
D. H. DUBROWSKY |
Russian |
U.S. |
Medical doctor |
| Legal Dept. |
|
|
|
| Director |
Morris HILLQUIT |
Lithuanian |
—
|
—
|
|
Counsel retained: |
|
|
|
|
Charles RECHT |
|
|
|
|
Dudley Field MALONE |
|
|
|
|
George Cordon BATTLE |
|
|
|
| Dept. of Economics & Statistics |
|
|
|
| Director |
Isaac A. HOURWICH |
Russian |
U.S. |
U.S. Bureau of Census |
|
Eva JOFFE |
Russian |
U.S. |
National Child
Labor Commission |
|
Steno |
Elizabeth GOLDSTEIN |
Russian |
U.S. |
Student |
| Editorial Staff of Soviet Russia |
|
|
|
| Managing
editor |
Jacob w. HARTMANN |
U.S. |
U.S. |
College of City
of New York |
| Steno |
Ray TROTSKY |
Russian |
Russia |
Student |
|
Translator |
Theodnre BRESLAUER |
Russian |
Russia |
— |
| Clerk |
Vastly IVANOFF |
Russian |
Russia |
— |
|
Clerk |
David OLDFIELD |
Russian |
Russia |
— |
|
Translator |
J. BLANKSTEIN |
Russian |
Russia |
— |
SOURCE: |
U.S., House, Conditions in Russia (Committee
on Foreign Affairs), 66th Cong., 3rd sess. (Washington, D.C., 1921). |
|
See also British list in U.S. State Department
Decimal File, 316-22-656, which also has the name of Julius Hammer. |
DOCUMENT NO. 7
DESCRIPTION
Letter from National City Bank of New York to the U.S.
Treasury, April 15, 1919, with regard to Ludwig Martens and his associate Dr.
Julius Hammer (316-118).
DOCUMENT
The National City Bank of New York
New York, April 15, 1919
Honorable Joel Rathbone,
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. Rathbone:
I beg to hand you herewith photographs of two documents which
we have received this morning by registered mail from a Mr. L. Martens who
claims to be the representative in the United States of the Russian Socialist
Federal Soviet Republic, and witnessed by a Dr. Julius Hammer for the Acting Director of the Financial
Department.
You will see from these documents that there is a demand
being made upon us for any and all funds on deposit with us in the name of Mr.
Boris Bakhmeteff, alleged Russian Ambassador in the United States, or in the
name of any individual, committee, or mission purporting to act in behalf of the
Russian Government in subordination to Mr. Bakhmeteff or directly.
We should be very glad to receive from you whatever advice or
instructions you may care to give us in this matter.
Yours respectfully,
[sgd.] J. H.
Carter,
Vice President.
JHC:M
Enclosure
COMMENTS
The significance of this letter is related to the long-time
association (1917-1974) of the Hammer family with the Soviets.
DOCUMENT NO. 8
DESCRIPTION
Letter dated August 3, 1920, from Soviet courier
"Bill" Bobroff to Kenneth Durant, former aide to Colonel House. Taken
from Bobroff by U.S. Department of Justice.
DOCUMENT
Department of Justice
Bureau of Investigation,
15 Park Row, New York
City, N. Y.,
August 10, 1920
Director Bureau of Investigation
United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir: Confirming telephone conversation with Mr. Ruch
today, I am transmitting herewith original documents taken from the effects of
B. L. Bobroll, steamship Frederick VIII.
The letter addressed Mr. Kenneth Durant, signed by Bill,
dated August 3, 1920, together with the translation from "Pravda,"
July 1, 1920, signed by Trotzki, and copies of cablegrams were found inside the
blue envelope addressed Mr. Kenneth Durant, 228 South Nineteenth Street,
Philadelphia, Pa. This blue envelope was in turn sealed inside the white
envelope attached.
Most of the effects of Mr. Bobroff consisted of machinery
catalogues, specifications, correspondence regarding the shipment of various
equipment, etc., to Russian ports. Mr. Bobroff was closely questioned by Agent
Davis and the customs authorities, and a detailed report of same will be sent to
Washington.
Very truly yours,
G. F. Lamb,
Division Superintendent
LETTER TO KENNETH DURANT
Dear Kenneth: Thanks for your most welcome letter. I have
felt very much cut off and hemmed in, a feeling which has been sharply
emphasized by recent experiences. I have felt distressed at inability to force a
different attitude toward the bureau and to somehow get funds to you. To cable
$5,000 to you, as was done last week, is but a sorry joke. I hope the proposal
to sell gold in America, about which we have been cabling recently, will soon be
found practicable. Yesterday we cabled asking if you could sell 5,000,000 rubles
at a minimum of 45 cents, present market rate being 51.44 cents. That would net
at least $2,225,000. L's present need is $2,000,000 to pay Niels Juul & Co.,
in Christiania, for the first part of the coal shipment from America to Vardoe,
Murmansk, and Archangel. The first ship is nearing Vardoe and the second left
New York about July 28. Altogether, Niels Juul & Co., or rather the Norges'
Bank, of Christiania, on their and our account, hold $11,000,000 gold rubles of
ours, which they themselves brought from Reval to Christiania, as security for
our coal order and the necessary tonnage, but the offers for purchase of this
gold that they have so far been able to get are very poor, the best being $575
per kilo, whereas the rate offered by the American Mint or Treasury Department
is now $644.42, and considering the large sum involved it would be a shame to
let it go at too heavy a loss. I hope that ere you get this you will have been
able to effect the sale, at the same time thus getting a quarter of a million
dollars or more for the bureau. If we can't in some way pay the $2,000,000 in
Christiania, that was due four days ago, within a very short time, Niels Juul & Co. will have the
right to sell our gold that they now hold at the best price then obtainable,
which, as stated above, is quite low.
We don't know yet how the Canadian negotiations are going on.
We understand Nuorteva turned over the strings to Shoen when N.'s arrest seemed
imminent. We don't at this writing know where Nuorteva is. Our guess is that
after his enforced return to England from Esbjerg, Denmark, Sir Basil Thomson
had him shipped aboard a steamer for Reval, but we have not yet heard from Reval
that he has arrived there, and we certainly would hear from Goukovski or from N.
himself. Humphries saw Nuorteva at Esbjerg, and is himself in difficulties with
the Danish police because of it. All his connections are being probed for; his
passport has been taken away: he has been up twice for examination, and it looks
as if he will be lucky if he escapes deportation. It was two weeks ago that
Nuorteva arrived at Esbjerg, 300 miles from here, but having no Danish visé, the
Danish authorities refused to permit him to land, and he was transferred to a
steamer due to sail at 8 o'clock the following morning. By depositing 200 kroner
he was allowed shore leave for a couple of hours. Wanting to get Copenhagen on
long-distance wire and having practically no more money, he once more pawned
that gold watch of his for 25 kroner, therewith getting in touch with Humphries,
who within half an hour jumped aboard the night train, slept on the floor, and
arrived at Esbjerg at 7:30. Humphries found Nuorteva, got permission from the
captain to go aboard, had 20 minutes with N., then had to go ashore and the boat
sailed. Humphries was then invited to the police office by two plain-clothes
men, who had been observing the proceedings. He was closely questioned, address
taken, then released, and that night took train back to Copenhagen. He sent
telegrams to Ewer, of Daily Herald, Shoen, and to Kliskho, at 128 New Bond
Street, urging them to be sure and meet Nuorteva's boat, so that N. couldn't
again be spirited away, but we don't know yet just what happened. The British
Government vigorously denied that they had any intention of sending him to
Finland. Moscow has threatened reprisals if anything happens to him. Meantime,
the investigation of H. has begun. He was called upon at his hotel by the
police, requested to go to headquarters (but not arrested), and we understand
that his case is now before the minister of justice. Whatever may be the final
outcome, Humphries comments upon the reasonable courtesy shown him, contrasting
it with the ferocity of the Red raids in America.
He found that at detective headquarters they knew of some of
his outgoing letters and telegrams.
I was interested in your favorable comment upon the Krassin
interview of Tobenken's (you do not mention the Litvinoff one), because I had to
fight like a demon with L. to get the opportunities for Tobenken. Through T.
arrived with a letter from Nuorteva, as also did Arthur Ruhl, L. brusquely
turned down in less than one minute the application T. was making to go into
Russia, would hardly take time to hear him, saying it was impossible to allow
two correspondents from the same paper to enter Russia. He gave a visé to Ruhl,
largely because of a promise made last summer to Ruhl by L. Ruhl then went off
to Reval, there to await the permission that L. had cabled asking Moscow to
give. Tobenken, a nervous, almost a broken man because of his turn down, stayed
here. I realized the mistake that had been made by the snap judgment, and
started in on the job of getting it changed. Cutting a long story short, I got
him to Reval with a letter to Goukovsky from L. In the meantime Moscow refused
Ruhl, notwithstanding L's visé. L. was maddened at affront to his visé, and
insisted that it be honored. It was, and Ruhl prepared to leave. Suddenly word
came from Moscow to Ruhl revoking the permission and to Litvinoff, saying that
information had reached Moscow that Ruhl was in service of State Department. At
time of writing, both Tobenken and Ruhl are in Reval, stuck.
I told L. this morning of the boat leaving
tomorrow and of
the courier B. available, asked him if he had anything to write to Martens,
offered to take it in shorthand for him, but no, he said he had nothing to write
about that I might perhaps send duplicates of our recent cables to Martens.
Kameneff passed by here on a British destroyer en route to
London, and didn't stop off here at all, and Krassin went direct from Stockholm.
Of the negotiations, allied and Polish, and of the general situation you know
about as much as we do here. L's negotiations with the Italians have finally
resulted in establishing of mutual representation. Our representative, Vorovsky,
has already gone to Italy and their representative, M. Gravina, is en route to
Russia. We have just sent two ship loads of Russian wheat to Italy from Odessa.
Give my regards to the people of your circle that I know.
With all good wishes to you.
Sincerely yours,
Bill
The batch of letters you sent
— 5 Cranbourne Road, Charlton cum
Hardy, Manchester, has not yet arrived.
L's recommendation to Moscow, since M. asked to move to
Canada, is that M. should be appointed there, and that N., after having some
weeks in Moscow acquainting himself first hand, should be appointed
representative to America.
L. is sharply critical of the bureau for giving too easily
visés and recommendations. He was obviously surprised and incensed when B.
reached here with contracts secured in Moscow upon strength of letters given to
him by M. The later message from M. evidently didn't reach Moscow. What L. plans
to do about it I don't know. I would suggest that M. cable in cipher his
recommendation to L. in this matter. L. would have nothing to do with B. here.
Awkward situation may be created.
L. instanced also the Rabinoff recommendation.
Two envelopes, Mr. Kenneth Durant, 228 South Nineteenth
Street, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.A.
SOURCE: U.S. State Department Decimal File, 316-119-458/64.
NOTE: IDENTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUALS
| William (Bill) L.
BOBROFF |
Soviet courier and agent. Operated Bobroff Foreign
Trading and Engineering Company of Milwaukee. Invented the voting system
used in the Wisconsin Legilature. |
| Kenneth DURANT |
Aide to Colonel House; see text. |
| SHOEN |
Employed by International Oxygen Co., owned by
Heller, a prominent financier and Communist. |
| EWER |
Soviet agent, reporter for London Daily
Herald. |
| KLISHKO |
Soviet agent in Scandinavia |
| NUORTEVA |
Also known as Alexander Nyberg, first Soviet
representative in United States; see text. |
| Sir Basil
THOMPSON |
Chief of British Intelligence |
| "L" |
LITVINOFF. |
| "H" |
Wilfred Humphries, associated with
Martens and Litvinoff, member of Red
Cross in Russia. |
| KRASSIN |
Bolshevik commissar of trade and
labor, former head of Siemens-Schukert
in Russia. |
COMMENTS
This letter suggests close ties between Bobroff and Durant.
DOCUMENT NO. 9
DESCRIPTION
Memorandum referring to a request from Davison (Morgan
partner) to Thomas Thacher (Wall Street attorney associated with the Morgans)
and passed to Dwight Morrow (Morgan partner), April 13, 1918.
DOCUMENT
The Berkeley Hotel, London
April
13th, 1918.
Hon. Walter H. Page,
American Ambassador to England,
London.
Dear Sir:
Several days ago I received a request from Mr. H. P. Davison,
Chairman of the War Council of the American Red Cross, to confer with Lord
Northcliffe regarding the situation in Russia, and then to proceed to Paris for
other conferences. Owing to Lord Northcliffe's illness I have not been able to
confer with him, but am leaving with Mr. Dwight W. Morrow, who is now staying at
the Berkeley Hotel, a memorandum of the situation which Mr. Morrow will submit
to Lord Northcliffe on the latter's return to London.
For your information and the information of the Department I
enclose to you, herewith, a copy of the memorandum.
Respectfully yours,
[sgd.] Thomas D. Thacher.
COMMENT
Lord Northcliffe had just been appointed director of
propaganda. This is interesting in the light of William B. Thompson's
subsidizing of Bolshevik propaganda and his connection with the
Morgan-Rockefeller
interests.
DOCUMENT NO. 10
DESCRIPTION
This document is a memorandum from D.C. Poole, Division of
Russian Affairs in the Department of State, to the secretary of state concerning
a conversation with Mr. M. Oudin of General Electric.
DOCUMENT
May 29, 1922
Mr. Secretary:
Mr. Oudin, of the General Electric Company, informed me this
morning that his company feels that the time is possibly approaching to begin
conversations with Krassin relative to a resumption of business in Russia. I
told him that it is the view of the Department that the course to be pursued in
this matter by American firms is a question of business judgment and that the
Department would certainly interpose no obstacles to an American firm resuming
operations in Russia on any basis which the firm considered practicable.
He said that negotiations are now in progress between the
General Electric Company and the Allgemeine Elektrizitats Gesellschaft for a
resumption of the working agreement which they had before the war. He expects
that the agreement to be made will include a provision for cooperation of
Russia.
Respectfully,
DCP D.C. Poole
COMMENT
This is an important document as it relates to the forthcoming
resumption of relations with Russia by an important American
company. It illustrates that the initiative came from the company, not from the
State Department, and that no consideration was given to the effect of transfer
of General Electric technology to a self-declared enemy. This GE agreement was
the first step down a road of major technical transfers that led directly to the
deaths of 100,000 Americans and countless allies.
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