During this time the A.T.R. Munitions plant was erected near New York. Machinery of the latest type was installed, and experienced and competent labor employed. In the offices of the company, of which L.E. Marquis was president, long conferences were held with representatives of the French Government over plans received from Paris calling for French "75's" and "155's" in unstinted numbers. French gold went into the safes of the company and French names were signed to the mortgages and various documents necessary to the fulfillment of contracts involving millions of dollars and indirectly millions of lives. That Imperial Germany was linked with this industry in any way would have been unbelieveable, that the A.T.R. Munitions Company could be lending aid to Germany while manufacturing arms for the French Army was inconceivable, to any but those acquainted with the depths of treachery to which it was possible for Imperial Germany to descend. The plans from Paris received the O.K. of the president of the company and its directors. They were given into the hands of one man--true, the company's secretary--but the man who had conferred with Ambassador Von Bernstorff in Washington, months before--J.S. Slakberg, smooth, suave, ingratiating, agent of the Imperial German Government and its war-crazed Kaiser! A week or so after the final plans of the French Government had been approved by the directors of the Munitions works, Slakberg found occasion to call upon Captain Franz von Papen, Military Attache of the German Embassy in his office at 60 Wall Street, New York. That his visit was not unexpected was indicated by the obvious impatience with which the little group gathered in Von Papen's office awaited his coming. About the polished table sat Captain Karl Boy-Ed, German Naval Attache, Dr. Heinrich Albert, Von Papen and Ambassador Von Bernstorff. Brief greetings were exchanged at Slakberg's entrance. No time was wasted in arriving at the gist of his business. "Your report on the A.T.R. factory?" queried Von Bernstorff. "Work has commenced at the A.T.R. Munitions works," Slakberg announced. "Yes?" The little group unconsciously awaited the rest of his report in tense silence. The silence of the room was now the silence of consternation. Over Von Bernstorff's countenance a look of anger blotted out the expression of puzzlement that had followed Slakberg's announcement. Von Papen glared at the speaker. "_Himmel!_ For the French!" The sinister smile which disfigured Slakberg's face did not waver.