The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30
KRUPPSRUNNING
ON ALLIED WORK
Essen's Big Plant Doing Moth
ing But Repairing Guns
to Be Surrendered.
FORCE is CUT TO $4,000
Company Would Help Rebuild
France and Belgium in Re-
turn for Materials.
FORCE is CUT TO $4,000
By a star Correspondent Of TIE suS.

TNuS, hdTCH SSs-l he hrupp WORKS
at Essen, the worlds greatest plant
for the manufacture OF, weapons of
destruction, from which have issued
more monstrous engines of war than
from any other spot on the earth, now
are silent and idle, paralyzed by the
victory Of the Allies. In all the great
workshops spreading over miles the
only furnaces that are burning, rne
only wheels that turn, are In one little
corner where a few mechanics are at
work upon some cannon-repairVn g
them so that the Allies will accept
them with the others surrendered un-
der the terms Of the armistice.
The directors of the Krupp plant
now are proposing to furnish its prod
ucts to aid Belgium and French re-
construction in exchange for raw ma
terials. This word is brought by an
observer who has just returned from a
visit to Essen in which he inspected
the works and talked with Herr Witt
field, general manager; Herr Homann,
manager Of the foreign service, and
Herr Luther, Mayor Of Essen.
Now mt Peace Strength.
Krupps has been ''demobilized 10
peace strength" Its war time force.
once reported TO have reached a million,
is said by these authorities to have been
$4,000. OF whom 10000 we're women.
The present force is $4,000, the same
number as in August, 1914.
The product of the Krupp Works dur
ing the fifty-two months OF the war were
10000 cannon Of all calibres, an average
Of one cannon an hour. and a total shell
output that has not been computed. but
that toward the end OF the war was
2,500.000 a month. or nearly $500 an
hour Workers labored for ten hours a
day before the war but only per cent
Of the Krupps manufactures was war
material and arms. the remainder being
peaceful products. rails, wheels. &C.
Herr Whitfield says that before the
war profits were steadily rising, bu,
during the war they slumped, although
this is accounted for partly by much
new war construction. Dividends were
per cent. in 1912. 10 per cent. in 1913
IA per cent. in 1914, ~ per cent. during
the war. then 10 per cent, and now
nothing.
Future Depends Upon tho Allies.
The future OF Krupps depends entirely
upon the Allies. II they wish the whole
gigantic place can be turned over &c
reconstruction work or It can be ruined
The supply of raw material remaining IL
sufficient only for three weeks work
for the smelters, which are on the left
bank of the river at Rheinhausen and
are controlled by the Belgian army Of
occupation.
A proposition has been made to the
Allies that in return for enough raw
materials to permit the factories TO worl
on full time the output shall be di
Nided into three equal parts. the frs
two going to France and Belgium L
help them TO reconstruct, the third tc
meet Germany's internal needs. TIL,
output could oe Of az ainGs OF SsTicul
tural machinery, tools and appliance,
of various kinds up to locomotives anC
cars.
Interesting details are given concern
ing the long range guns used to bonn
bard Paris, which were made by tn,
Krupps engineer. Herr Posenberger. II,
refused TO talk OF the super cannon. bu
Herr Whitfield says the calbre was q
centimetres and the length OF the gun 2
metres. with the projectile OF an initia
velocity OF 1900 metres. The guns coult
be fred only few times before the bar
rels had to be returned TO Essen TO b,
repaired.
Guns Built to Shoot Over Channel
The Germans built these guns will
the hope OF being able TO lombard Lon
don from Calais when they took tha
place.
The morale Of the Krupps workmen il
declared to have been good until IN,
armistice was signed. During the frs
governmental crisis in the summer O
| 1917 a strike was reported at the Krupl
works, but only 5000 men went out
That was tho only strike during the war
These. results were obtained by al
elaborate system OF welfare establish
ments, model houses, baths. gymnasium
and recreation and reading rooms, whil
whatever happened the Krupps work
men were we'll fed. Therein lies tn
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