The state herald., 1913-06-20
NtS RRz17p -IZWB0A1AY, ON az TIL
0N7EnS TH1DPRS


wv al institution, and that every German
has been immensely proud Of 1t as one
OF the glories of the Fatherland,
And now to discover that this great industry
has stopped to the bribing of oicials-a. fact ad-
mitted by the Krupp firm after the charge had
been made in the reichstag-and that 1t had been
supplying French newspapers with material for
war-scare articles, to induce the German
government to buy more armament from the
Krupps, is more TO Germany than scandal 1t
Is catastrophe.
The charges were made In the reichstag by DR..
Liebknecht, the Socialist deputy, and in the col
umns OF the Vorwaerts, the Socialist newspaper.
1t is coincidence that 1t was that newspaper
which ten years ago printed another scandalous
story about the krupps, which caused the death
of the then head OF the works, Friedrich Alfred
Krupp.
II impossible TO refute him, because the
minister of war. Gen. Won Heeringen, was obliged
to admit then and there that inquiry going
on which had already revealed that "one of the
Krupp officials" had bribed officers to reveal
tain information. The following day the Krupps
issued statement in which they admitted that.
their representatives in Berlin had maintained
friendly relations" with their former comrades
OF the war department for the purpose OF obtain
ing business Information" and had bestowed
small present "on certain under officials"
1t Friday that Liebknecht exploded his
DOmD ana 1OrCtu Won feerlngen 10 reveal tlat
secret inquiry and Saturday that the Krupps
made their admission of bribery. On Sunday the
Norwaerts published the text of the Instructions
sent by the Deutsche Munitions und Waffenfabrik
TO Its Paris agent to leave no stone unturned"
TO persuade some popular French newspaper to
publish a statement that France intended to dou.
BILE her orders for machine guns. The object was
to get the German government TO order machine
guns from the Deutsche Munitions und Wafren.
fabrik
On Tuesday the popular indignation had risen
SO high that Gen Heeringens plea for sus,
pension OF judgment until his private inquiry had
done its work was forgotten. The budget commit.
tee OF the reichstag voted to appoint parliamen.
tary commission OF inquiry into the scandal This
commission however. despite the protests of the
Socialists. was not vested with power to send for
persons and papers.
Although the krupp works date from 1910. when
Friedrich Krupp established his forge at Essen 1t
was his son, Alfred Krupp, who was the real
founder OF the industry Friedrich died practical.
ly bankrupt in 1926. leaving little more than the
secret Of his caststeel process to his son. and II
was 80 years before any striking results
achieved.
II was In 1910 that Friedrich Krupp purchased
a small forge In Essen, where he devoted himself
to the problem Of manufacturing cast Steel but
though the article put on the market by him
In 1915 II commanded but little sale. and the firm
three workmen.
Alfred Krupp was born April 20. 1912, and at
the time OF his fathers death was only fourteen
years old His mother carried on the works until
Alfred reached his majority. so that twice in the
history OF the works have they been managed by
women. The present head OF the industry is
Bertha Krupp, the granddaughter OF the woman
who became Its manager In 1926.
The krupps had so little money that Alfred. on
his fathers death. was compelled to leave school
TO assist his mother lie displayed a phenomenal
aptitude for the foundry business. and the works
developed with Increasing rapidiiy after his In.
nuence was felt in their management By isis
the nrm had expanded no that i22 workmen were
employed.
As late MS isis the year In which his mother
rclinquished tho sole management OF the works
into his hands. he melted the family plate to pay
his workmen. Today the mighty industry fur.
nishes employment TO n majority OF the workmen
OF three cities and dozen coal and iron mining
towns. The ships built from It. equipped with
Its steel and armed with it's cannon are on all
the seas. and wherever steel In used the namc OF
Krupp Is known. The capital OF the Arm now Ia
about 100000.
Il was In is.7 that Krupp scored his FIRST real
success. when he made n three. FOUNDER muzzie
loading gun OF cast steel. At tho great London
exhibition OF 1881 he exhibited a solid nawiesu
ingot OF cast steel Weighing two tons. thus estnb
fishing III. fact that nm important nrm existed In
Germany capable OF turning out samples OF excel
lent workmanship Tho Essen works wcrs every
whore spoken OF. and the output watched with
the closest interest The manufacture OF weidlsss
steel tires for railway vehicles war another In.
. venton which followed soon after.
The making OF heavy ordnance. which has made
the name OF these works famous tho world over
wah not then prominent part uf tho business
Ono OF the first large orders he got for firearms
came four years after the London exhibition. when