Evening star., 1934-12-05
NOBEL ARMSF|RM
RAPED AT PROBE
Company Is Accused of
"Winking" at Germany's
Rearming Program.
Continued From First Page.)

Du Pont Co.. who was testifying joint
ly with his chief, Irenee du Pont, mu-
nitions manufacturer, frankly con-
ceded the munitions industry knew
Germany was rearming.
He said the company passed on its
information to the American military
and naval intelligence, but not to the
State Department.
Investigators previously said they
had new evidence that American arms
manufacturers brushed aside treaties
and embargoes to ship their imple-
ments Of war into Germany and
China.
The rearming Of the Reich, they
added, was used as a lever to bring
military appropriations in other Euro
pean countries.
U. S. Arms Makers Accused.
Back Of this evidence were docu-
ments which showed, investigators
said, that American manufacturers
paid little heed to the American en-
barge on shipments Of arms to China.
They used these sales In turn, 1t was
alleged, to sell more products to Japan.
Vandenberg, in an opening state
ment today, suggested the rearmlng
of Germany involved not only direct
profits to the munitions industry, but
indirect profits resulting from fear in
other countries of a rearmed Germany.
He said the committee had no desire
to impugn the motives OF foreign
governments, but was merely seeking
to establish the viewpoint Of the mu-
nitions makers.
The treaties after the war;" VAN
denberg said, declared that neither
Germany, Austria, Hungary nor Bull
garia could import, export or manu-
facture arms.
1T must be generally admitted that
this control has failed over period
OF years, and the seeking world
is face to face with the question
whether any paper control can be
made effective.
Control Plain a Failure.
1.-THE whole allied world must now
realize it has not been powerful enough
to make its control effective.
Forces, even more powerful than
governments themselves. have had
stake in this outcome We are hunting
the possible identification of such
forces"
In this connection he referred to
Japan's plan to denounce the naval
pact this month and said
The majority spokesman OF the
House Naval Affairs Committee imme-
diately announces we must match a
shIpbuilding program"
He said the committee was informed
that British as we'll as American manu-
facturers have sold military planes to
Germany.
Speaking of international fears land
war scares," which, he said follow
arms building programs. Vandenberg
added:
Country A speeds It's armament to
keep pace with country B. Then
country c matches country B. Finally
even the country U. S. A. joins its COM
petition. In other words. the German
program inevitably produces a pro-
greSsive worldwide armament ex-
penditure and a corresponding arma-
ment profit"
Seek Armsmakers' Role.
I'VE are concerned whether the in
terest and influence Of munitions
makers-whether the profit motive
may be related in any degree with the
failure to recognize what is alleged to
have happened in the rearming Of
Germany and whether the munitions
industry is believed. rightly or wrongly,
to have had a dominating hand in the
alleged breakdown of the Versailles
treaty"
Vandenberg said it was inconceiv-
able that. while it seemed to be gen.
eral knowledge that the central pow
ers had rearmed, nothing was done
under the Versailles treaty to stop the
movement.
The committee produced a letter
from William N. Taylor, du Points
Paris agent, which reported that Tur-
key bought large supply of ammuni-
ton from Austria and Germany, with
delivery through Holland.
Taylor said the United States, not
being a party to these peace treaties,
unfortunately could do nothing to
check the movement.
Du Pont challenged Vandenberg's
suggestion that the letter showed Ger
many was rearming. He said the
Senator was putting words into the
mouth" Of Casey.
European reports to the du Pont
Co. said Nobel. Ltd. had such close
relations with the general producers
they would do nothing to invoke
British investigation of the matter.
French Were Aroused.
This report, however, said French
interests were aroused and might
force some Investigation.