MUNITION MAKERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22401, 23 April 1936, Page 11

MUNITION MAKERS

STRONG INDICTMENT UNITED STATES INQUIRY PEACE EFFORTS OBSTRUCTED By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright t (Received April 22, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, April 21 The Munitions Committee of the Senate, after almost two years of investigation, has submitted a majority report recommending the nationalisation of the munitions industry. A minority report recommends stricter supervision of the industry by the Government. Four members, including the chairman, Mr. G. P. Nye, signed the former report and three signed the latter. Al! members of the committee agreed to the following six-point indictment of American munition manufacturers: (1) That bribery of officials, almost without exception, is the favourite sales method of munition companies. (2) That peace efforts, especially moves toward limiting armaments, have been actively obstructed. (3) That munition companies "scare the nations into continuing frantic expenditure " by playing one country against another. (4) That these companies have gained undue influence in the War, Navy and Commerce Departments of the Federal Government and have gone so far as to. persuade officials to give them active support in " peddling " munitions in other countries.

(o) That commercial interest sometimes takes precedence over "national policy" in munition-makers' minds. (6) That no effective control ha;* been established over the manufacture of poison gases and high explosives. Although the minority of the members of the committee agreed with these conclusions they held that the public welfare, from the < standpoint of peace, defence and economy, could be better served by rigid and conclusive control of munitions than by the nationalisation of the industry except in a few isolated instances.

The majority report specifically recommended Government ownership and facilities adequate for the construction of all warships by the Navy Department, also of all gun forgings, projectiles and armour plate, and facilities adequate for the production of powder, rifles, pistols and machineguns necessary for the War Department.