MUNITION MAGNATES

NZ Truth, Issue 605, 20 January 1917, Page 3

MUNITION MAGNATES

THE POSITION PRIOR TO THE PRESENT WAR International Ring of Capitalists , CABINET MINISTERS : BISHOPS : ARMY MEN *' Lords, Barons, Baronets, and Right Hons.

(From the- "British Labor Leader.")

Dnlce of Sutherland. Baron Kinnaircl (President of the Young Men's Christian Association). ' .

Few people realise that British armaments firms have actually armed the German and Austrian forces against Great Britain. This assertion will appear incredible. Even those who appreciate thfe lack of principle which characterises modern business transactions will hesitate to believe that the claims of "patriotism" can be betrayed so Infamously. Well, we will state the facts m detail. One of the five chief partners m the British Armament Ring was tihe Nobel Dynamite Trust. [Since the wax an arrangement was made fox the sale of the German interests m the British companies.— Ed. T.] It was closely linked with Vickers, Ltd, who had two directors m ' common with three of the companies within the Trust. . It held the entire share capital of Nobel's Explosives Co., Ltd., and was interested m a number of other British firms, including the Birmingham Small Arms; Company and the Birmingham Metal and Munitions Co. But it did not confine its interest to British firms. "It may be added," said the "Statist" of May 17, 1913, "that a working alliance with powder-makera of Germany has been carried out for some years past, and still has to run until 1950." The German firms In which the No-, bel Dynamite Trust has an interest are: Dynamit Actien-Gesellschaft, * votmals Alfred Nobel and Co., Hamburg. Rheinlsche Dynamitfabrik, ! Cologne. Deutsche Spreugstoft Actien-G«-sellschaft, Hamburg. Dresdner Dynamitfabrik, Dresden. Germany is well represented among the directors and shareholders also. Of . the fourteen directors, four are Germans. Of the shareholders living abroad, 76 are Germans, . and, we may add, 22 are French. Among the banks holding shares are the Deutsche Bank. Deutsche Vereinsbank, Frankfoxt-on-Maine. Hannorersche Bank. Names of officers of the British, German and French armies are to be found side by side m the shareholders' list. They include: OFFICERS OF THE BRITISH ARMY: Brigadier-General Colin G. Donald, - C.B. Lieutenant-Col. Lewis A. Irving. OFFICERS OF THE GERMAN ARMY: Lieut.-Col. Fraucdis J. H. L. Laffargue. Let us hope fate may not be so unkind as to cause any of these officers to be blown to bits by their own gunpowder. The names of three other shareholders should be recorded: Lord Glenconner, (brother-in-law of Mr. Asquith and an offlicer of the v National Service League). Lieutenant- Col. Nelll Flndlay. Lieutenant-Col. Chas. A. Logan. DESTROYERS FOR AUSTRIA. Many of the destroyers of the Austrian fleet have been constructed and equipped by British armament firms. They have been built by Yarrow's, Ltd., and have b««n almost entirely engined and boilered by this firm and J. J. Thorneycroft and Co., Ltd. More than that, many of the torpedoes with which the Austrian fleet will attempt to sink British "Dreadnoughts" have been manufactured at the torpedo factory at Flume, owned by Henry Y^hltehead and Co., Ltd., whose shares are chiefly m the hands of Vickers, Ltd., a second of the five chief partnors m the British Armaments Ring. Tho shareholders of Vickers, Ltd., Include: Lewis Harcourt (Colonial Secretary). Lord Strathclyde (Right Hon. Alex. Ure). H. J. Tenant (Under-Secretary of the War Office). Baron Sandhurst (Lord High Chamberlain of England). Bishop of Newcastle. Bishop of Chester. Dean Inge of St. Paul's (1000 shares).

Duke of Sutherland. Baron Kinnaird (President of the Young Men's Christian Association). The Right . Honorable J. W- Lowther (Speaker of the House of Commons). Lord EL Cavendish-Bentinck, MJP.' Hon. H. L, W. Lawson, M.P. G. .Younger, MJP. Stuart Wortley, MJ?. (Debenture Trustee). G. Young, M.P. Vice-Admiral May (Commander-ln-Chlef at Plymouth). In addition to the above, there are 21 peers of the realm In the shareholders' list, and many other distinguished persons, including citizens of Germany. .. ' WHAT OF ITALY? Vickers, Ltd, have large interests m three large armaments firms m Italy: Messrs. Vickers-Terni, Ltd. (Ironworks and Armor-plate Manufacturers). Messrs. Odero, of Genoa (Ship- builders). ; Messrs. Orlando, of Leghorn (Shipbuilders). Through these subsidiary firms Vickers had built up to last year two Dreadnoughts, four cruisers, and 26 torpedo craft for Italy at a time when she was leagued with'the Triple Alliance. Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth, and Co,. Ltd, another of the chief partners m the British Armaments Ring, are also naval contractors to the Italian Government. They have an arsenal at Pozzuoli which, we are told, "furnishes the chief supply of war material to the Italian navy." Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth, and Co. are also closely connected with Messrs. Ansaldo, Armstrong, and Co., of Genoa. Between, them these two firms had supplied Italy up to last year with two Dreadnoughts, two cruisers, and 25 torpedo craft The shareholders of Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Include: Right Hon. C. E.,- Hobhouse, M.P. (ex-Postmaster-General). Earl Grey (Debenture Trustee). Dean Inge of St Paul's. Viscount Churchill. Baron Armstrong. Earl of* Durham. Sir J. a. Lonsdale, M.P. Harold J. Tennant, M.P. (Under-See-'retary of the War Office, also a bro-ther-in-law of ;Mr. Asquith) ;' Baron Rlbblesdale (prominent Liberal Peer, a director of the Trust). INTERNATIONAL RING. So recently as 1912 there was quite openly an international ring with which the principal firms of Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and the United States were connected. It was known as the Harvey United Steel Co., Ltd., and ita purpose was "to amalgamate or control four other company patents for treating steel.". The managing director was Mr.' Albert Vickers, chairman of Vickers, Ltd., and Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., William Beardmore and Co., John Brown and Co., and the Coventry Ordnance Co., together with their numerous sub-sidiary-firms, were\represented on the board of directors. Three of the principal firms m Germany were also represented: Actien Gesellschaft der Dillinger Hultinwirke. Essen. Frederich Krupp. Similarly, Italian, French and American firms were represented, and many of the banks of the different countries held a large number of shares. The names of officers m the British and French armies also figured In the shareholders' lists. To give a list of the distinguished British patriots who were shareholders of the firms which were connected, directly or Indirectly, with this ring would occupy too much space. A few, however, we cannot refrain from giving: Baron Plrrle (Comptroller of the Household, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, debenture trustee of John Brown and Co., etc.). Baron Aberconway (chairman of John Brown and Co., etc.). Sir J. Compton Rlekett, M.P. (chairman of the Free Church Council, shareholder In John Brown and Co.). Lord Claude Hamilton. At P. (director of Hadfield Foundry Co.). Colonel Harrison Broadley. M.P. (shareholder John Brown and Co.). J. F. Hope, M.P. (shareholder In John Brown and Co.). Hon. H. D. McLaren, M.P. (shareholder of Palmer's Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.). Sir .Alfred Mond, M.P. (chairman of the Mond Nickel Co., Ltd.) Godfrey M. Palmer, MJ». (shareholder of Palmer's Shipbuilding Co., .Ltd.). Right Hon. Sir E. Swarm, M.P. (shareholder Cammoll, Laird and Co.). One fact further remains to be added. Armstrong. Whitworth and Co. and Vlckors, Ltd., have each contributed £2500 towards the Prince of Wales Relief Fund.