TERRIFIC EXPLOSION

Evening Star, Issue 23680, 13 September 1940, Page 7

TERRIFIC EXPLOSION

AMERICAN MUNITIONS PLANT 50 KILLED, 100 INJURED INCALCULABLE DAMAGE DONE Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright KENVIL (New Jersey), Sept. 12. (Received September 13, at 2 p.m.) A terrific explosion shook the Hercules powder plant, as well as the immediate vicinity. Calls were sent out over a wide area for ambulances and first aid squads. Every available fire engine was rushed to the plant. The explosion was felt 20 miles away. The 'Hercules is one of the biggest powder manufacturing concerns in the United States. It has a number of plants, of which Kenvil is one. The company manufactures powder and dynamite for the Government. It is estimated that at least 50 were killed and 100 injured. The explosion did incalculable damage, and will delay the 17,000,000d0l British and American defence contracts. Thirty bodies have been recovered.

CANADIAN WAR INDUSTRIES HUGE CAPITAL EXPENDITURE NOW IN PRODUCING STAGE OTTAWA, September 11. The Minister of Transport, Mr C. D. Howe, said that Canadian war industries, augmented by over 200,000,000d0l capital expenditure, were entering a period where, instead of building, they were producing. The total capital expenditure on plant and equipment in Canada by England and Canada jointly was as follows; Explosives and chemicals, 58,400,000 dollars. Armament, 67,000,000. Ammunition, 19,000,000 (shells, cartridge cases, and fuses, 1,400,000). Automotive equipment (including tanks), 4,800,000. Base metals for aircraft, 62,000,000. British purchases since the outbreak of war amount to 208,000,000d01, exclusive of lumber and foodstuffs. Canadian war purchases total 135,000,000, exclusive of plant extensions. AMERICAN REARMAMENT MIGHTY DEFENCE EFFORT WASHINGTON, September 11. President Roosevelt, in a speech at the Teamsters’ Union Convention, said that America was rising to meet the ever-growing need for adequate armed defence. He promised not to abandon Labour, who would gain as a result of the rearmament. At the same time he pointed out that in the countries where unions had disappeared, the iron hand of the dictator had taken command. He emphasised that the people who had yielded their liberty for the revolutionary promises had received only rationing of news, religion, clothes, and bread. “Our mighty defence effort against all present and potential threats,” the President declared, “ cannot be measured alone in the terms of a mathematical increase of soldiers, sailors, guns, tanks, and planes. Behind must stand a united people. I hate war more than ever. I have one supreme determination —to do all I can to keep war from these shores for all time. Let us have an end to appeasement which seeks to keep us helpless by playing on fear —by indirect sabotage of all the progress we are making.” FORMER FRENCH MINISTER RETURNING TO FACE TRIAL WASHINGTON, September 11. The former French Minister for Air, M. La Chambre, announced that he is going to Vichy “ immediately to face a trial and clear my honour.” WAGE PROFITEERING ALLEGATION AGAINST ENGINEERING CREWS ADELAIDE, September 13. (Received September 13, at 9.10 a.m.) The Minister of the Navy, Mr Cameron, officially announced that the engineering crews of the hospital ship Manunda and the merchant ship Reynalla, formerly the Italian Remo, refused to take those vessels to sea unless they were given the equivalent of sterling rates of pay, together with a 25 per cent, bonus. Mr Cameron described the men’s action as wage profiteering, which would not be tolerated. DEATH DENIED PRESIDENT OF FINLAND HELSINKI, September 10. The Berlin report that the President of Finland, Dr Kyosti Kaliio, is dead is denied.