Evening star., 1934-09-02
ZAHAROFF LINKED.
W|THU.S S. CONCERN
Letters to Be introduced at
Munitions Probe Expected
to Show Connection.

(Copyright. 1894. by the Associated Press)
Evidence of direct connection be-
tween Sir Basil Zaharoff, powerful in
European munitions circles, and con-
Germ building boats for the American
Navy rested last night in the hands of
the Senate Munitions Investigating
Committee.
This disclosure was made a short
time before Senator Nye, Republican.
of North Dakota, chairman of the COM
mittee, in a radio address accused
munitions makers of spreading talk
of war, from which they made "splen-
did profits
Hitting at sales Of war materials
abroad, he asserted that in case of a
war with Japan, Americans would be
moved down with American-made
munitions. He advocated depart
ment of peace" which would rank
with the Army and Navy Departments.
Members of the Senate Committee
declined to discuss the letters that are
reliably reported to show Zaharoff's
connection with an American boat
builder.
1t was learned by the Associated
Press yesterday that unless there is a
change in schedule, the Senate Com
mittee will go directly into the af-
fairs of the Electric Boat Co. of New
York and Groton, Conn, during the
first two days of open hearings.
Received Naval Contracts.
This concern, records at the Navy
show, received contracts for construc-
ton of two submarines in the Navys
building program last year and for
three of the underwater craft this
year.
Although both committee members
and investigators were silent, it was
established that the reported Zaharoff
link Is to be brought out during uues-
tioning of the Electric Boat Co.'S Of
ficials.
Zaharoff's interest in submarines
dates back to the days when he first
began the deals which aided in build
ing his reputation as super salesman
OF war materials.
He persuaded the Greek govern
ment to buy submarine and, using
that as a lever, then sold two of the
underwater craft to Greece's ancient
enemy, Turkey. Sir Basil himself
and other munitions statesmen have
followed a similar procedure since.
2aharoff's European connections
are of academic interest only to Sen
ate committee members. But one of
the things that the inquiry has CEN
tered upon is whether there is any
tie-up between some of the foreign
companies which have made enor-
nous profits through supplying mu-
nitions and groups in America en-
gagged in the same business.
May Find International Link.
1t is known that the letters to be
introduced, some reported to be writ
ten by Sir Basil, are believed by COM
mittee members to substantiate to
some degree the theory that some
munitions and armament makers in
America are allied with similar con-
Germs abroad.
Committeeman refuse to comment
on reports that Zaharof had invested
some of his fortune in American con-
Germs whose business runs along lines
parallel to those firms in England
and on the Continent that helped
accumulate his millions.
zaharof is expected to figure
prominently only in the first couple
Of days of hearings, and after that
the investigation is scheduled to pass
to the affairs of another New York
concern, the briggs Ordnance g. En-
gineering Co.
An episode in which an American
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