Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-09-18

That she has exceeded even the
'ondest hopes of her father has been
proved by her success in conducting
he plant and its allied industries SO
hat her annual earnings are now more
han $S,000,000. From early girlhood
Bertha was trained with the one idea
view that some day she would be
n control of the great Krupp proper
ties.
While her father ives her real in
itruetor in gunmaking and in the
echnical side of the business, she re-
ceived a thorough general education
under tutors at home. But it was
from her grandfather, founder of the
krupp industry, that she inherited the
ndomitable energy and force of char
acter that have won her success.
After a morning spent in the work
shops, it is not unusual for the fore
man of a certain department. to be
summoned to the private office of the
girl who dictates the policies of the.
vast institution. There he will dis
cover that his feminine boss has
evolved a minute plan for the inn
provement of some existing SYSTEM
either for the better expedition of the
work or the safety of the workers.
There is no more humane employer
in the world than Bertha Krupp, and
she constantly is seeking to improve
the conditions under which her 10000
employees labor. That is one of the
secrets of her success and helps ex-
plain how a girl can earn SS,000000 a
year.
Every weapon manufactured in the
<rupp plant, whether ii is a rifle or
l6-inch gun, is tested in the great
-unnel which mainly is built under
ground. and on days when these tests
re made the whole city reverberates
rs the giant cannons are fired.
The thunderous crashes within the
tunnel are appalling and many men
nave been known to cover in terror
when they stood for the first time i'll
he terrible place and heard the awful
caring of the big guns.
All during her fathers life Bertha
zaas not permitted to enter the tunnel,
out after she became sole owner of the
plant she made known her intention
IF attending a trial of big guns.
Despite the pleadings and protesta
ions of the foreman the girl stood for
NO ilUuiS duIu tue ttTTlllc
aervously pressing against the wall
and unable to repress an occasional
scream as the great guns opened their
lin. But she held good to the end.
She did not visit the plant the next
lay, but on the following day the
foreman was called to her private Of
dce. To him she communicated a
carefully planned set of new regula-
ions concerning minute changes she
desired to have made in the mathe
matically designated positions of the
men engaged in the perilous work.
She also ordered a more scientifi
cally calculated pointing of the bar
rels of the guns, at a safe angle. Her
plan was put into execution at the
following trial and still is being used.
1t is conceded to be the safest and
best that possibly could be devised.
For a. long time after Bertha Krupp |
assumed control of the plant great
many men, among them an official of |
the Italian War Department, had an |
IDEA that this slip of a girl was mere
ly the embarrassing owner of the |
stock of the great establishment and |
that some man was the real head of |
the gun factory.
After being introduced to Bertha /
Krupp. and stating the object of his
the Italian official asked to /
meet the chief engineer to submit the |
plans on which he desired an estimate.
His opinion was still unchanged when
the girl said
You may address yourself to me.
Colonel"
Il mn 70 fp;t faJ =
tiers the Colonel renewed his request
for a conference with the factory
chief Ignoring his remark, the girl
questioned him closely regarding his
requirements He an
swered by giving technical details
which he thought would SO confuse
1er that she would call in responsible
nan. But Bertha proved herself
match for him. SHE met every point
with a helpful suggestion and con-
GUIDED by drawing a diagram on a
Dlotter of a new mechanical device
hat had been suggested to secure the
particular end he had in view.
Then she made a lengthy compari-
,on of certain guns she had mentioned
md those manufactured by the Krupp
plant, dumbfounding him with her
When he finally depart
ID it was with the conviction that no
military officer in Europe know more
ibout the inside workings of a mod
,rn gun than this girl
bertha Krupp Won Rohlen not only
s the richest woman In Germany, but
,he is, perhaps, the most powerful