The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-06
HEAD 0F KRUPP FIRM
 WAS ENTERTAINED IN
 ENGLAND RECENTLY
Englishmen Now Think His Visit Was to Spy on Great Britain's Armament
 Secerts

 iishmen are wondering, now that the long heralded war with Germany Is on, whether they were not sadly hoodwinked about three months ago by Herr Krupp von Bohlen und Hodbech the head of the great Krupp armament works.
 Tn June Herr Krupp visited Birkenhead, Barrow in -Furness, Glasgow. Newcastle on-Tyne and Sheffield His charming wife, Cannon Queen and proprietress of Krupps', accompanied him. The visit was private and unofficial.
 But in order that the inspection of the
 Firth, Laird, vicl1ers, Brown, Armstrong,
 whltmuth, Canmell. Baird and other es- tablishments should not be strictly in- formal, Herr Krupp von Bohlen brought with him his chief technical expert, Dr. Ghensberger, of Essen. There was n fourth member of his party-Henn von Buelow, kinsman of the former im- perial chancellor. who unstil recently represented the Krupps in London. Herr Krupp von Bohlen's previous vis- it's to England have been undoubtedly private in character. Both he and his wife were fond of London. In recent times they came primarily to-sit for the late Sir Hubert Herkomer. Never until the visit of June did they come accom- panied by their experts.
 Sent by the Kaiser
 There can be no manner of doubt that Herr Krupp von Bohlen's last soJourn in these isles was at the direct instigation of somebody higher up. There is but one person in Germany who could send him on such a mission. And that someone is the Kaiser.
 Herr Krupp von Bohlen is not in the habit of travelling on behalf of his gigan- tic firm. The tour of England, as mat ter of fact, was the first of the kind he ever made He undertook 1t because the | necessity of spying out the armament secrets of Great Britain had suddenly become matter of vital significance to Germany, and he came at the behest of the Krupps great family friend, the Elm peror 1t is widely believed here. The genesis of the Krupp investigation of the state of preparedness of our fa- cilities for manufacturing land and sea armaments Is no less remarkable than the investigation itself. Early in May certain of the firms above mentioned received 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 estab- lishments making articles similar to those manufactured by Krupp's would natu- rally be of the greatest interest. The recipients of Herr Rrupp von Boh- lens letters forthwith communicated with our naval and military authorities It was agreed that, subject to the elemen- tary precautions advisable in such clr- cumstances, there could be no harm in extending hospitality to the Essen vlsi- tors. They came and they saw Doors. at any rate, were flung wide open to them, There was even some speech making.
 The fact that the utmost possible care was exercised that the lynx-eyed Dr. Ghensberger and Hem von Bulow did not see too much, does not alter the un- deriving gravity of the visit itself. At the time Birkenhead, Barrow-in- t'urness, Glasgow, Newcastle-on-Tyne and Shelf field thought It passing strange that Herr Krupp von Buhlen should suddenly desire to look us over. Intervening events have given them furously to think.
 Made Prompt Response Herr Krupp von Bohlen lost no time in reporting to the Kaiser the wonders he
 had been privileged to Inspect in Eng
 land and Scotland. By prearrangement undoubtedly he came directly from them
 to Kiel, where William IT was extending
 hearty welcome to Vice Admiral Sir
 George Warrender's battleship and light
 cruiser squadron. The Kaiser always
 demands prompt reports from special
 emissaKies.
 Grand Admiral Won Tirpttz was at I.iel,
 too. to hear what the Master of Essen
 had gleaned in guileIess Albion. Ana
 while the issue of peace or war with Eng
 land hung in the balance at Berlin
 fortnight ago, Herr Krupp von Bohlen
 hurried up from Essen 10 take part in
 the momentous councils of the kaiser
 with the military and naval chieftans
 a floating one on the waters of Taku.
 Casablanca. Ber-Rechid, Fez. Saigon
 and dHanoi. It has assisted in the
 wars of Russia Turkey, Spanish
 American. South African. Russia Jap
 anese and the late war In the Balkans.
 It was particularly ready in the case
 of the disastrous Seine flood. when.
 after the retreat of the water, effort