THE KAISER'S SPY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2267, 29 September 1914, Page 6

THE KAISER'S SPY

HERR KRUPP IN ENGLAND ■ ■..'■. ; . / ! ''I ' ' ■ Before our senses are numbed by the clash and din of Titanic killings on land find saar-before we loso the faculty of .remembering the past in the staggering attempt to.grasp the present—l would like to tako. Englishmen back to an 'ovent which happened ill, their unsuspecting midst exactly two months ago, writes' Frederick William Wile in the "Daily Mail" on August 14. A most sinister event, in the,light of what has happened since, and one designed as hardly any other could bo to persuade tho most sceptical among us that, the War Kaiser's plans for the sacking of Europe were deep-laid, deliberate, and stealthy. It reduces to. criminal absurdity the Genu an contention that Armageddon was kindled at Sarajevo; I refer to the strange visit. paid by Herr Krupp von Bohlen und ; Halbach, the head of Krupp's, between June 14 and 23, to Birkenhead, Barrow-in-Fur-ness, Glasgow, Newcastle-on-Tyno, and Sheffield. Hie charming wife ; the Cannon Queen .And proprietress or RruppV, accompanied'him. That bolstered up the fiction that the visit was "private iind unofficial." But in order that the inspection of the Firth, Laird, Vickors, Brown, Armstrong-Whitw*rth. Oammell. Laird, and other !_establishmetns should not ~be strictly informal Herr Krupp von Bohlen brought with him his chief technical expert, Dr. Ehrens■berger, of Essen. There was a fourth member of his party—Herr von Bulow,a kinsman of the former Imperial Chancellor, who until recently—perhaps yet, for all I know —represented the Krupps in London. . . '.'.',

A Significant Tour. Herr Krupp von Bohlen's previous visits to England have beeun undoubtedy private in character. Both he and his wife were fond of London and liked to corao to us.informally, to live.quietly like well-born . people of means at a fashionable-Piccadilly hotel. In recent times they came primarily to sit for the late Sir Hubert Herkomer. Never until the visit of June did they come accompanied by their experts. They came this time, in other words, strictly for business.,. And it is not a : comforting reflection to think that they accomplished their business thoroughly. There can-be no manner , of doubt that Horr Krupp von Bo'hlen's last sojourn in these isles was at the direct instigations of Somebody Higher Up. There is but one person in" Germany who could send him on such a mission. And that someone, is the Kaker. Herr Krupp von'Bohlen is not in the habit of "travelling" on behalf of his gigantic firm.. The tour of England, as a "matter of fact,} was the first of the kind he ever:made. He undertook it because tho necessity of spying out the armaments seorets of Great Britain had 'suddenly become a matter of vital significence to Germany; and he came nt the behest'of tho Krupps' great family 'friend, the Emperor, who as tvo now know preached peace while plotting war.

With Open Arms! The genesis of the Krupp Investigation of the state of preparedness of our facilities for manufacturing land and sea armaments is no less remarkable than the. investigation itself. Early in May certain of the firms above mentioned received a delightfully courteous letter from the; Master of Essen announcing his intention to visit England during the season. Frankness' incarnate, the letter suggested that an inspection of 'establishments making articles similar to those manufactured by Krupp's would naturally be of the greatest interest. The- recipients of Herr Krupp von Bohleu's letters forthwith communicated with our naval and military authorities. It was agreed that, subject to the elementary precautions advisable'in such circumstances, there could bo no harm in extending to the Essen visitors tho hospitality for which. I fear, wo aro somotimos all too famous. They came and they saw. AVliether they conquered remains to bo seen. Doors, at any rate, wero flung wide open to them. Tliero was c\en some speech-making. Tho factthat the utmost possible care was exercised that tho lynx-eyed Dr. Ehrensberger aiicl Herr von Jiulow did not see- too -much does not alter the underlying arcivity of the visit itself. At the time Kirkenhcad, Barrow-in-Fuincss, Glasgow, Xewcastlo-on-Tyjie, and Sheffield thought it passing straiigu that Herr Krupn von Hohlon should'suddenly dosire to Jon!r ii» —;-. ,* itwveaina

events, i venturo to believe, have given them furiously to think. Report to i tho Kaiser. Herr Krupp von Bohlen lost no time in reporting to tho Kaiser tho wonders ho had been privileged to inspect in England and Scotland. By prearrangement undoubtedly ho camo directly from them to Kiel, whero William II was extending ' a hearty welcome to Vice-Admiral Sir George Warrender's battleship and light cruiser squadron. The Kaiser always demands prompt rolovts from special emissaries. Grand Admiral von Tirpitz was at Kiel, too, to hear what the Master of Essen had gleaned in guileless Albion. And while the issue of peaco or war with England hung in the balance at Berlin a fortnight ago, Herr Krupp von Bohlen hurried up from Essen, to take part in tho momentous councils of tho Kaiser with his military and naval chieftaine. Can wo doubt that what ho learned in thi» «x)untry m Juno was his principal contribution to the deliberations? Guileless, too, I remember now that I sought an interview with Herr Krupp von Bohlen at Kiel. It was tho day before Sarajevo. I knew of the true British hospitality which had been showered upon , him. I. thought perhaps he might bo inclined to indulge in some glittering generalities suitable for publication. I know now why ho dispatched a polite young secretary to my hotel with tho messago that the "nature of Herr Krupp von Bohlen's visit to England made it quite inappropriate for him to discuss it in public." : ■