Askov American., 1934-05-10
Munitions Men
EXCERPT from Time)

War mongers had something new to
talk about last week-nitrate ship.
ments from Chile to Europe through
the Panama Canal. In January 1888,
2,238 tons of the stuff that fires guns
as we'll as fertilizes fields passed
through the Canal. Last January nj
trate shipments leaped up to 146,167
tons. For the first three weeks Of
February 93,604 tons were carried
through in twelve ships, compared
to 33,259 tons for the entire month
last year. Half the shipments were
under blind sailing orders to the
Azores where they would be told their
final destination. westward through
the Canal passed a string of empty
freighters bound for Chile and more
nitrate. Big buyers were France.
England, and Russia. Also noted in
the Canal Zone was a heavy move
ment of scrap iron, steel, lead, cotton
the makings of war-from the U.
S. to Japan.
Last week a report was circulated
in New York that LlOyds was laying
5-to-1 on war somewhere within six
months. MaSsed troops around Au-
stria might mean nothing-but that
territory remained the powder box Of
Europe.
More Informative than such fearful
talk was an article appearing last
week in the March FORTUNE ON the
worlds armament industry. In it
were detailed the companies which
make war possible and the men who
sell the products of those companies
internationally. Prime FORTUNE
facts:
1t cost $4,000 to kill one soldier
in the World war.
Krupp supplied many gun with
which Belgian and Russian soldiers
slaughtered German troops at the out
break of the War. Though forbidden
by the Versailles Treaty from making
armaments this famed German COM
pany is today re-arming Germany and
doing a good-siZed munitions export
business to the Far East and South
America.
Vickers-Armstrongs is Britain's big
munitions exporter. 1t operates SUBJ
sidiary plants in Italy, Japan, Ru-
mania, Spain and The Netherlands.
Stock in Vickers or allied enterprises
has been held by such famed Peace
Men as Sir Austen Chamberlain. Sir
John Simon, Lord Balfour and Dean
Inge of st. Paul's. It's greatest sales
man was a Greek by the name of
BaSileioS ZachariaS, who now, in his
dOtage, is known to the world as Sir
Basil Zaharoff. Sir Basil is reSpon-
sible for the ultimate technique Of
armament craftsmanship: Sell one
country an order and use it as a talk
ing point to sell a larger order to a
potential enemy. After Sir Basil had
sold Greece it's first submarine, he
promptly induced Turkey to buy two.
But compared to Frances Schnei-
der-CreusOt most other armament
makers are small fry. Through his
company, M. Charles Prosper Eugene
Schneider controls hundreds of arma-
ment firms, mines, smelters and foun-
dries. As bank director he finances
armament loans. AS the President
of Union Europeenne Industriale ct
Financiere he has his finger in 230
armament and allied enterprises out
side France. Chief of these is
Czechoslovakia' SkOda. In this firm
French, German, Czech and Polish
directors come together in the friend
liest spirit to discuss the problems of
increasing European consumption Of
armamentS.
Directors in this French-controlled
armament firm joined with Fritz
Thyssen, German steel man and arm
ament maker, in contributing money
which helped Hitler to power. Puta-
tive reason: because Hitler was the
one man most likely to stir up war
in Europe, thus increase armament
orders, armament dividends. After
Hitler became Chancellor, French
newspapers controlled by armorers
screamed for more ornaments be-
cause he threatened French "secur-
ity."
Above Schneider -Creusot stands the
Comite des Forges and above this all
powerful iron and steel organization
stands the shadowy figure of Francois
de Wendell. M. de Wendell is regent
OF the Bank of France. He is a men,
ber of the Chamber of Deputies. He
owns most of LIE Journal des Debats.
His International connections during
the War were so powerful that, when
the Germans took the French iron
mines in the Briey basin, the French
Army was forbidden to lombard the
source of a great part of the ore Ger
many consumed during the War.
With all Governments as their GUS
toners, munitions men have only one
thing to -internationalism. As
businessmen their aim is to keep each
nation over-armed, to stir up nation
alistic anxieties which only guns and
shells and tanks can quiet. The de
Wendels operate equally we'll on eth
er side of an International border.
One branch of the family uses a de
in front of its name while the other