Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-23
"KRUPP's IS IN FLAMES" /"
ESSEN WORkMEN REPORT
Famous German Gun Works Burn.
Ing for Twenty-Four Hours,
Amsterdam Hears.
SERIOUS DAMAGE INDICATED
Military Circles Quick to Realize
What Large-Scalo Disaster to Mu-
milton Plant Would Nean-NIay
Be Work of Boishcyiki.


| AMSTERDAM. December 2o-"Krupp's
is in flames" was the sensational
| news brought here to-day by workmen
from Essen. the home OF Gcrmanys and
the worlds biggest munitlon plant
some thirty-five miles from the Dutch
frontier. They asserted the famous gun
works had been burning for twenty
four hours.
The story told by these workmen
| was somewhat modified by dispatches
from the frontier later in tho day, but
these. too, vague as they were indi-
Gated serious damage.
Military circles were quick to real
ize what larse-scale disaster at the
Krupp plant would mean. To the allies
it would be worth dozen army corps
since it would seriously cripple. IL not
wholly paralyzc. the kaiser's military
machine. The throwing out OF Jobs OF
100000 men and womcn, working in
day and night shifts in the Essen works.
a catastrophe resulting in tho dcstruc-
tion OF Krupp'a plant in tho big Rhine
town. Upon that plant tho German
army depends for easily two-thirds OF
its guns and ammunition.
MAY REPRESENT FIRST FRUIT
OF BOLSHEvIkI AGITATION
A wclLinformed authority here ven
tured the theory tonight that the re-
ported disaster may represent the first
fruit OF the Bolsheviki agitation for a
German uprising to overthrow the
kaiscr's government. 1t was pointed
out by this informant that one of the
main factors that crippled the Russian
war machine as far back as two years
ago. when the Gear was still in power,
was an uncndinE series OF mysterious
plant explosions. somo Of
which cost thousands OF lives. These
blasts invariably preceded a big Rus
sian drive, and had disastrous consc-
quences when in the full swing of such
drive as Brusiloffs last Galician Of
fensive ammunition stores suddenly
gave out.
While these disasters were generally
attributed in Russia and abroad to the
workings of German spies, there were
many who suspected the Bolsheviki
agents Of having a hand in them. The
reds" have often openly declared that
they will stop at no act OF violence to
accomplish the social revolution they
seek to bring about. Since tho peace
parieys with Germany. Trot2ky has moro
than once declared that the overthrow
OF the present governments in all
countries is tho Bolsheviki's aim. The
recent establishment OF mail commu-
nication has Eivcn tho Russian radi-
calls an opportunity to spread their
propaganda over and behind the Ger
man lines, among the German minority
Socialists. whose party refused to vote
for the latest war credits.
DOUBT THAT DISASTER
IS VERY SERIOUS
Some Dutch munition experts who
have visited the Essen works were in
cllned tonight to doubt the reported
disaster could have wrecked any ma
tcrial part OF tho Krupp plant. They
asserted that the precautions taken at
Essen were OF such a nature that a
destruction of the plant or even the
greater part of it appeared incon-
cetfaDle.
Early this year there was a strike
at the Krupp works, said to have been
due to lack OF food. 1t was reported
that 10000 workers were involved and
that tho authorities combated it by
sending many of the men to the front.
but little authentic information was
permitted to come out of Germany.
Essen Is in Rhcnish Prussia, about
forty miles from the Dutch border. Few
places in Germany are guarded more
carefully. No persons unknown to the
German authorities arc permitted to
visit tho town. The plant has been
raided Several times by French and
BrttisIF airmen, notwithstanding its
formidable antialrcraft defenses. Press
dispatches last July said 100 persons
there had been killed In raid by
French airplancs and that considerable
danraEe had been done to the works.