KRUPP'S ARMS WORKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24874, 21 April 1944, Page 3

KRUPP'S ARMS WORKS

SAVING IT FROM ALLIES NOW A FAMILY CONCERN Germany's leading armament combine, the Friedrich Krupp A.G., of Essen, was transformed at the end of last year from a public company to a family concern. This has been achieved bv special Governmental decree, and the reason given officially is that the "firm has rendered outstanding, and in its own way unique, services, to the defensive power of the German nation." Under the new arrangement, special regulations are to govern the succession, and the owner of the enterprise is fully liable with all his private capital for all business transacted by the firm during this period of ownership. "It is certainly not without special reasons that the transformation of the leading German armainen. concern should have been decided on and carried out just at the time when military events have clearly begun to foreshadow Germany's defeat," the Statist comments. The journal recalls that all Nazi Party officials, or those holding Government posts to which they have been appointed by the party, are forbidden to take part in the management of any business undertaking. This is attributed to the hope that industry in the hands of industrialists instead*of Nazi leaders might escape seizure or expropriation in the event of German military defeat. ft is regarded as the attempt supported by the Army and the General Staff to preserve for the future the most vital cell ol German armament production. A review of its activities published by TCrupp's just before the present war stated; ''Twenty years ago Krupp had to destroy large parts of their plants. The Treaty of Versailles then forced upon us the stoppage of production oi military equipment and the destruction of more than 10,000 machines. Krupp had to change over to the production of materials tor peace requirements. In spite of many considerations and the advice of experts, the firm decided to safeguard the accumulated experience as trustees of an historic inheritance. They decided to keep their personnel and to transform their workshops so that at a given opportunity they would be ready once more for a change in their production." ROME UNDEFENDED j REPORT BY PRISONERS | PERIOD AFTER ANZIO LANDING LONDON, April 18 The remarkable story of how for j three or four days alter the Allies i j landed at Anzio, Rome was defended i j by less than 500 Germans, is told by | ; recently-captured German prisoners and j quoted by a correspondent of the 1 -on- j (lon Times with the Fifth Army. Reconstructing the situation as told ; by the prisoners, the correspondent, says: "The day the Allies landed, German Major Kupper arrived at Sette Bogui, an important railway junction a few miles north ol Rome. "Kupper immediately formed the 'Kupper Battle Group,' into which he pressed all troops who happened to be awaiting trains at Sette Begni—-about I ■1 r»(), plus HI) members ol the l-tiltwafl'e | and 'lO parachutists. They were issued [ with Italian rifles, machine-utius J and grenades. "Kupper told them the Allies had j landed at Anzio and Nettuni and that the position was serious, but not hope- ( less, "The 'battle group' moved to Rome by bus, where the immediate task was to build street barricades in.the southern section of the city. The only other j armed forces in Rome were the Italian police, who had their hands full trying j !<> keep order nmong civilians. "Kupper read Hitler's Order oi the j Day, 'Rome must be held to the last i man.' Three days later—.January 2o the German Fourth Parachute I'egi-j ment arrived and took over the tie- j fence. , I "Kupper's group was later employed rounding up Communists who had I entered the city by lorry, and were attacking the Germans." The Times says that apparently demonstrations occurred in different parts of Rome for several days, and it was some time before the Germans restored order. THE READING PUBLIC TYPE OF BOOK REQUIRED LONDON, April 17 "To what type of books will the public wish to turn after the war? I think, in one word, to purposeful books," writes Mr. A. S, M. Hutchinson, the well-known novelist, in the Fvening News, of London. "For consider the implications of purposeful. Here is the dictionary. 'Having a purpose; directing one's actions to definite ends'; and in those terms you have precisely, I think, the case toward which writers will he called upon to direct their pens. _ " 'Having a purpose'—that, unquestionably. will be the mood of the public mind, of each single unit of it. Direction of that purpose to definite ends—that, does it not follow? —will be the quality sought in the literature made available."