Evening star., 1919-04-20
HUNS HLDEOUS INDUSTRIAL DEVASTATION
GIVES THEM YEARS OF TRADE SUPREMACY
OVER DESPOILED BELGIUM AND FRANCE
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.
Ruthlessness is a term oftentimes
used in describing the terrible OPP
preston inflicted upon the occupied
regions of Belgium and northern
France. "Devilish piratry" might be
more fitting. Not in history have the
baser instincts of any people been Civ
and deeds than in the industrial re-
gions of northern France and Bel
gium. where the Germans attempted
to and succeeded in tapping the main
artery of national existences-indus-
try-and where they have left hun
dreds of thousands of people in idle
ness without sufficient means of
earning by their labor the bread that
sustains their bodies.
In this process of devastation the
Germans went about their work sys-
tematically. So systematic. in fact.
extend needed aid to the Industries of
Belgium and France the Huns will
have gained years Of supremacy In
trade over the nations which have be-
come their victims.
Steel Mills as Example.
Charleroi, Belgium, which city / but
recently visited is living example of
the German method of industrial de-
struction.
In the great lie Providence steel
mills which lie on the outskirts of
than 100 acres of ground the Huns
had great opportunity to practice
their evil doing. In La Chateau.
another great works. now gaunt and
bleak in utter ruin. they gave full
sway to the foul purposes that
dom ted them The GermanS de-
stroyed what years of patient plan
ming and diligent industry built up.
In the plant of La Providence
works ones eyes almost Immediately
with picks, shoveis and spades
digging into heaps of stone and
bricks whic1, once formed the walls
of this great plant. Intermingied
with this dc oris are bent and twisted
steel machinery and the framework
housed it. And, as ones eyes swiftly
| move over the broad scene of ruin
| and devastation. almost desolatiOn
one is impressed with the puniness
of the efforts of these men. There
| is so much that must be done before
| a start can ever be made in rehabili-
tating the mere framework of the
great factories. In fact, it is esti-
| mated by factory officials that even
| should the plant have sufficient
' lun0S, SQuuClSuL HdCHiuEIy duu
( plenty of raw materials, it would
| take two years before the ruins could
| be removed.
systemized Destruction by Huns.
One enters the main buildings. where
once were expensive presses. He finds
nothing, the floors being completely
stripped. The great machines which
once were busy from morning until
night in mmering the metals into
| sem blance of form are no longer to
be seen. They are in Germany. The
\ great cranes overhead have been SO
mutilated that they are of no use.
Jets of flaming oxygen and acetylene
in the hands of the Hun mad. useless
such bits of machinery as the Ger
mans could not cart away or were in
no demand in Germany. A bit of dy-
Mantle here, few sledge hammers
there. had broken to bits pieces vf
machinery which might in anywise be
used by the Belgians should the piao
| ever revert to them. Running up to
this building was a German construct
ed railway switch. 1t was much easier
to remove the almost priceless ma
chinery to Germany by building up
this line to the very doors of the
lplant. Though the steel frame of this
building still stands, preparations had
been made to dynamite 1t and blow IT
to atoms, when, in 1918, the Germans
began to suspect the futility of their
cause. Had not the armistice come
when it did the plant of LIE Providence
works would today be ruins upon
| ruins and offering to engineers a
problem which would require years 70
solve At least, the management OF the
works has a gauHt sepulcher. one III
which hopes of years are buried.
! Outside this building stand the
great blast furnaces. some of them
hideous reminders of their once use
full existence. Those that have not
been deliberately dypamited by the
Huns offer even greater problems 10
the BeIgians who will try to restore
them. 1t is much easier to make use
full that which has been leveled 10
the ground-at least it is easier TO
) clsar it away. The Germans possibly
realized this. They therefore sys-
tematically cut away all rivets from
the steel exterior of these blast FUR
naces at the base. The furnace is
rendered absolutely useless. for in or
der to place it In service again II
must be completely dismantled. the
thick masonry within the steel abso-
lutely prohibiting the replacing OF
the rivets.
Experts Used to Destroy.
Here the expert German steel man
! gave advice to the German troops en-
J gagged in the task of destruction
Only an expert would know that fur
naces costing hundreds of Thousands
! of dollars could 80 easily be placed
! out OF commission 1t was just an H.
! German plans of devastating and rob.
1 he which fhav nrrunleA . "A