Deutsche Werke and Inter-Allied Commission

              INFORMATION FOR MEETING OF INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE, 12th JANUARY, 1922.
Deutsche Werke and Inter-Allied Commission.
Dear Mr. Bowerman,
With reference to the letter received from the German Federation of Trades Unions dated 29th November, relative to the decisions in the Inter-Allied Commission in regard to the development of the Deutsche-Werke and which was discussed at the meeting of the General Council yesterday, I supported the proposal to refer the matter to the International Committee, because while on the one hand I desire that proper consideration should be given to the communication from the German Federation, on the other I do not want the Committee or the General Council to be led into any hasty conclusion which might place us in a false position.
It would be a mistake to assume that the proposition the Committee has to consider is one where the ex-State Munition Establishments in Germany are simply being wiped off the map, that no opportunity is given for development on lines of peaceful production and that this is a capitalists Franco-German conspiracy to prevent any industrial competitors, and at the same time to scotch to development of Workmen's Councils in industrial affairs.
Of course it is not a practicable proposition for anyone in the course of a fortnight and as a unit in a body of persons of anything between 30 and 40, and without a proper knowledge of the language of the country, rushing about from place to place to be too emphatic in one's declarations as to what the position is, but there is no doubt that while the demolition of buildings and machinery designed to make munitions of war is very completely effected, there is developing at the Deutsche-Werke a substantial industry in the production of commodities for peaceful purposes. This is particularly so at the establishment at Spandau, which was one of the three principal Deutsche-Werke I visited during may stay in Germany, and comparatively speaking, there is quite a hive of industry where agriculture machinery and implements of all kinds are being manufactured, also furniture, motor-cycles, sewing machines and other valuable commodities, of which I obtained well prepared illustrated catalogues. On the other hand it did appear to me, as an ordinary practical man, that there was a somewhat excessive waste in the pulling down of structures, power plant etc., and particularly at the works outside Hanau and at Erfurt the decision of the Military Commission seemed to justify a charge of coming arbitrary decisions involving unnecessary waste and tending to prevent legitimate peaceful reconstruction of the establishments.
The specific case brought to my notice was at Erfurt, where as I mentioned during our discussion yesterday, a part of the engineering shops had been converted into the manufacture of sporting guns, minature rifles etc., and which I understand has always been an important branch of industry in that district, but which was of course entirely suspended during the War. A substantial number of men were employed and these would be men largely with engineering skill. The Allied Commission had given permission for this but after the thing was set going, had apparently changed their minds and had given notice that the department must be closed and the machinery scraped by the end of March. This raised a very strong protest from the Workmen's Council as well as from the Management of the Deutsche-Werke generally, and it is a justifiable question