ARMS ALLEGATION.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20277, 11 April 1934, Page 1

ARMS ALLEGATION.

Vickers Accused by Author of Book. NEW YORK, April 4. A direct charge that the Vickers armaments firm had helped to arm the Turks, who used British armaments almost exclusively to kill Australian and New Zealand troops, in the Dardanelles, is contained in a forthcoming book by George Seldes, a journalist, which is scheduled for simultaneous publication in London and New York in a fortnight. The book is entitled, “ Iron, Blood and Profits—An Exposure of the International Munitions Racket.” It accuses Armstrong-Vickers and Sir Basil Zaharoff of having built up the Turkish navy before 1914, despite the warnings of Lord Snowden that the munitions and guns might be turned against allied forces. They were abetted by twenty Members of Parliament interested in the munitions traffic. Mr Seldes alleges that the Wright and Lindbergh aeroplane motor patents have been sold on a royalty basis to Mitsui concern, the largest Japanese munitions firm, and links Vickers with Mitsui. The allegations are certain to rouse a stir, and will probably lead to a Congressional inquiry into the entire subject. This has already been demanded by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, which has an Australian section.