Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-08
my Tweluemonth
at Krupp Plant"
Dutch Engineers amazing Story
of Starvation and Cruelty
in Essen.
ny VAN DER LINDEN
Copyright. 1877. International News


to the side OF the Sultan. and was com
mencing long statement when His
Majesty cut him short.
mo. no." he said Tho Emperor
has told mo all need to know. / am
not fond Of engineering problems"
Afraid OF Air Ilaidcrs.
And 30 the matter was allowed to
drop. The Kaiser had successfully
bluffed tho Sultan for knew very
we'll why tho blue glass had been put
there. 1t was to prevent any light
from showing at night time, lest enemy
aviators should spot the place and
bomb It.
The next shop the Kaiser took his
guest to visit was one In which nearly
5000 women wero employed in the
making OF nickel bullets and cartridg @
cases. There was avenue upon avenue
OF lathes. all of them working at tho
highest pressure. which conveyed some
idea of tho enormous productive ca
pacity OF tho works. All the machines
ware OF the very latest type. and were
entirely in the hands of women. even
the supervisors.
The women were dressed in blue
overalls. and many Of them bore dis
tinct signs OF strain and overwork.
They appeared to be all OF them dun
and apethic. and were going about their
work in n mechanical sort Of way. This
was but the natural outcome OF con-
tinuous long hours OF labor OF the most
exacting nature. and the poor quality
and small quantity OF food which they
were provided with. a few OF them
were a tightly hitting round cap, a
hcadgear which had become practically
unnecessary. as the hair OF the women
had Hccn closely cropped.
Womcn's Hair Wanted.
In the case OF German women. the
sacrifice OF their hair had been made
voluntarily, after an appeal from the
authorities to the effect that womens
tresses were needed for the making Of
driving belts. These belts. l learned.
arc largely used in the U-boats. and
all Germans arc greatly concerned re-
they fully regard az the only means Of
bringing complete victory to the
Fatherland.
Amongst the women employed in the
making Of bullets and cartridge cases
was large number Of Belgians and
Poles Very naturally they objected to
having their trcsses cut. but the au-
thorities soon found way Of enforc-
ing their requirements. II woman
refused, she was at once put on the
shortest OF rations and given extra
work.
Thia had provoked q strong feeling
Of irritation. and the atmosphere was
one OF sullenness when the royal visi-
tors entered Once more the Sultan
was greatly impressed with the huge
the opportunity of talking to him in
big figures to what the machines
could do.
Just as the two monarchs were leav-
ing the shop there was a piercing shout.
and above the noise Of the lathes
heard the words "vive Ia Belgiquc."
Evidently it was Intended by a Bel
gian woman as protest against the
ravaging OF her country
The kaiser's eye flashed savagely,
ND n n 4, l,io It,t
no comment on the matter to the mem
bers Of the party.
Twenty-Inch Guns.
big and Impressive spectacle had
been arranged for the benefit OF the
Sultan at the next shop. This was the
place where the big twenty-inch guns
were submitted to the hardening pro-
cess by being dipped into deep oil
baths. Four of these monsters had
been got ready for tho operation. which
involved the bringing into action Of
gigantic cranes. each capable of carry
ing 800 tons. To prepare the guns for
submersion in the oil they had TO be
Enclosed in furnace for fcrty-eight
hours TO be heated right thro -.sh.
Their Ma3esties took their stand on
specially erected platform, from which
they had clear view of the mouth of
the subterranean wells. which were
situated just below the raised cylindri-
cal furnaces.
All the workers had been drawn up
ut their posts. At prearranged
signal the doors Of the furnaces re-
VOWED backwards, and the four mon
ster guns. glowing and giving off a
tremendous heat were swung out by
the cranes in midair, where they were
left for few seconds suspended over
the mouths of the wells.
Then the order was given for them
to be lowered into the wells. Imme-
diately the guns touched the oil, there
was 4 burst of flame. which leapt sew
eral feet into the air. and lighted the
vapor filed the workshop and blotted
out the workers. 1t certainly was an
inspiring spectacle.
The foreman of the shop was sent
for. and both tho Kaiser and Sultan
congratulated him upon the perform
ance. Evidently this man had been
well instructed. for l heard him tell
the Sultan that the oil wells were con-
stantly in use, and other guns were
then in the furnaces being prepared
for the bath.
Push on with the work. my man."
the Kaiser said These big guns are
urgently needed"
suItnn's Narrow Squeak.
The Sultan was interested in the
working of the great cranes. and the
party stro!led along the workshop to
watch the machinery at work. He
different cranes as they moved slowly
on their overhead tracks.
Above the heads of the royal party.
on the iron platforms near the roof
of the building. quite small army OF
men were to be seen working.
AS the party were passing beneath
one OF the cranes. there was a dull
thud, and I saw that r. hammer had
fallen from above, and had narrowly
missed the Sultan.
Almost at the same moment that the
hammer struck the ground, revolver
shot rang out. and the body of a. work
man came crashing down from one of
the overhead platforms.
The incident threw the shop into a
state Of great commotion. The Kaiser
went deadly pale. and the Sultan be-
came livid. There was n hurried con-
sultation. and the two monarchs were
quickly shcperded out OF tho shop by
Won Bohlen and others.
After Their Majesties had left, at
tention was paid to the body Of the
workman. who had been killed by
bullet wound In the head.