RISE AND FALL OF KRUPPS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 155, 26 March 1919, Page 8

RISE AND FALL OF KRUPPS

THE PRUSSIAN GOD OF OTHER DAYS ESSEN ON EDGE OF THE NEUTRAL ZONE Should the Allies exercise the right, which they reserve under the new armis tico conditions, to occupy the neutral zone north of Cologne, their troops will bo brought almost to the suburbs of Esjan, wlcre the great armanent works of Krupps are situated. It is stated m "Vorwaerts" that tho directors of Krupps have informed a meetiug of foremen that in future he firm will not be able to employ more than ten or twelve thousand workers, and that owing to the expected Allied ooupation production can only be intermittent. This statement will lie accepted with reserve, but if events prove it to be accurate then, as the directorate is reported to have added, it would be virtually true that "only the ruins of the whole undertaking would remain.' The vast works at Essen, really cmbodied in material form Hie military might which had become the'obsession of Germany. Krupps was the graven imago of militarism before which its worshippors bowed, and the best proof of a real change of heart which the German people and their new Government could givoavouklbetlip complete transformation of the "Essen works into factories producing only tho implements of peaceful industry. a Tho works were established in a little shed by Frederick Krunp in ISII-12, but half a century of vicissitudes was re-c'orded-failure of experiments, iimbility to pay wages, and so on—before the steel works were soundly established, and the founder's son, who was left at the age of fourteen to coritrol the business, astonished the world with his huge ingots of steel and his wonderful new guns. To the growth of Krupps alone flic modern town of Essen owes its rise from an obscure little place of 4000 inhabitants. ~ , , The swift retribution which has come upon Germanv, with its wholesale casting down of the mighty, is shared by Krupps to a greater degree than any other single institution in the country. Only, six years ago, during the celebration of the centenary of the works, Germany was almost intoxicated with joy ■as it revelled in descriptions and statistics of the mighty arsenal. The capital of the firm was .£9,000,1)00. Its rapidly increasing profits were then $100,000 a year. The factories, which covered over 500 acres, were the scene of cyclopean labour. , , . , It was Krupps, as m American journalist wrote, which gave the German people confidence that they could wage war. against tho world. Essen was we I described as "the most wonderful deathdealing manufactory in the world. At tho centenary the works were decorated with flags and triumphal arches, and the Kaiser enjoined a brilliant <r«Hij>rin,g to "empty your glasses ro the welfare 'of the house and works ot Krupps." " ' , , During the war the works were extended, the capital was increased to £12.51)0,000, the wonts row to over fom millions in 191M5,"and w^' eke (I ° W " to about two millions in subsequent years bv payments to the families of the workers 'The number of employees, winch was about 36.000 before, tho war, rose by many thousands, and large cenvmgents of neutrals were employed. _ Krmms aimed at something far greater than the mere manufr-cture of armaments. It mnintaiW one of tlip mo«l higTilv-orgiuiiscd intelligence departments and Press bureaux in the world. _ It controlled newsi.niv>rs and dominated statesmen. The confidence and nower which it retained.'even "O Tcc«tit!y as July 1917. is shown In- the deoKratioA of one of its journals that after tbo war was won, and the far-iulvanccd umv fronti»r? of Germany were scoured, the most dangerous enemy of all democracy, . would hi"-e to be fought and conanered! ■ from timo to time Hip struggling meff'ctunl demoovarv of G«rmany made riin effort tv the r™;cr an J influence -irhioii (Wed from Ts'spi. N<™' 1 pt last it his its (vwirrtnnirT to ,>i-"=h Hie.most, dnarllv foe of. democracy which ■the world 'has s?en.