1939-10-01 — Page 3

NA MAI OCTOBER

NAZIS PURSUE A

A MYTH SELF-DECEPTION IF IT IS IMAGINED THAT SOVIET CAN SUPPLY WAR SHORTAGES

London, To-day.

WHILE PRESS COMMENT on Nazi-Soviet co-opera- tion, heralded yesterday in Moscow and Børlin, is cautious in drawing conclusions as to its more distant political effects, there is a consensus of *** opinion on its practical consequences and value. The Daily Herald" warns its readers against set- ting too high the consequence of Russian help I to the Nazi Government..

...

British

were, in fact, willing to set aside for meeting Germany's needs oné tenth of the 645,000 goods trucks she had at the time of her last return in 1937, the length of the rall haul from the Russian pro- ducing centres to the German lingo is so great that each truck could not be loaded more than once a month and the total annual carry- ing capacity would be less than Germany's total peace-time im porta of Iron ore alope.. Germany, could not help by sending. trucks as the guages on the two rail- way systems are different.

FAT PROBLEM Another point is that Russia is not in a position to supply Germany with many of the commodities of which the latter is in greatest need. The Soviets cannot contribute to Ger-

The "Daily Telegraph" recognises the collectivised Soviet farms has that Russian intervention would be of made enormous demands upon the importance in the economic field, but country's petrol resources, quite apart argues that it could not be, by any from transport demands. means, as decisive as the Nazi leaders

NOT AN EXPORTER would like Germany to believe. It is Germany would require to obtain recalled with appositeness the en- some five million tons from Russia to thusiasm which greeted the declara- compensate her for the supplies from tion by the Soviet Commissar for which she is cut off by the Foreign Trade, Mikoyan, at the an-Navy. The same difficulty will arise many's requirements of nickel, tin, nual congress

of the Communist in connexion with other products, such lead, antimony or rubber. They can: Party dust. March that "Russia was as iron ore and copper, of which Gernot offer significant amounts of wool, ...not exporting butter, eggs or bacon." many has need indeed Russia is her-cotton or raw hides. Worst of all,

The paper observed on this, that those who imagined Russia fabulous- ly rich in such commodities as petro- leum and iron ore, might be surpris- ed to learn that they also were among the goods which the Trade Commissar proposed to reserve .for -home consumption.

self an importer of copper! ·

The fact is that Russia is not an exporting country! She ranks ‘be- hind Denmark In the total "value of her export trade, and la far be- hind most of the British Domin- ions.

Germany could, however, probably get all the timber she requires from Russia,

deve-

~WAR-STRAINED ECONOMY The estimate which the Press has formed of the potential helpfulness

Apart from the fact that Russia's to Germany's wire strained economy of exports of the commodities Germany what Molotov has now promised on requires most, could not be rapidly paper, is generally in accord with increased, except at the expense of her the views held among those here own requirements and of her best informed on the economic geo-lopment plans, transport represents graphy of Soviet Russia and Eastern

a formidable obstacle in the way of Europe, and it is unlikely that off- any large scale supply of raw materi- cial opinion would be found to dif- als by Russia to Germany. The Bal ter. from these judgments in any tie is the only really : satisfactory important respect.

means of transporting goods in large volumes from Russia to Germany but the Russian Baltic ports are at the opposite Corner of Russia from the raw materials Germany needs.

Thole géneral purport may be summed up in the statement that the new phot does not fundamen. tally alter Germany's economic.. plight.

SOVIET: ROLLINGSTOCK Russian rolling-stock i

is well-known be already short for the Soviet's own needs

It may allow the Nazis to hold out a little longer than they could with-to out it, but it cannot effect the inexor able power of economic pressure 'ulti- mately to sap Germany's economic strength.

OSTENTATIOUS COUPLING Few here doubt, that the object of Ribbentrop's second pilgrimage to Moscow was to secure some concession" from Stalin which might sérve as a reassurance to German public opinion in the face of the surprising rapidity with which British seapower has made itself felt,

Hence the ostentatious coupling of a trade agreement with the other agree- ments negotiated with the Soviet.

The Nazis hope that the Germans themselves, ‚ ́as"well" as the outside world, will jump to the conclusion that Russia's legendary resources in raw materials will now be available to replace what they can no longer im- port from overseas. But with the ma- jor exception of manganese ore, the Russian production of raw materials will not be sufficient to make good German deficiencies.

SOME FIGURES"

own

In general, Russia produces no large quantities or raw materials which she could spare for export to Germany without doing damage to her economy. The whole increases of So- viet production of such commodities as iron ore copper and mineral oil over recent years have gone to Russia's own fast growthe" régultrumenta.

For

Russi

1938

same

ample, despite the rise. In production from 21,400,000 1944 to 20,100,000 ́· În sporty of all over the fell from over six millión

fons to under one million.

The mechanisation of agriculture

-

The position in this respect presented by one authority (Tami- Har with the "problem. In the fol- lowing striking form:- If Russia

the Nazis can look to Russia for no

relief from their long-standing fat

problem.

Germany has to import, over 1,700,-

PROFITEERS IN AMERICA

NEED WATCH

Washington, To-day. Président Roosevelt yesterday urged the temporary National Economio Committes to keep a constant watch, on the prices of materials, in order to prevent profiteering.

In so doing, he told them, they would be performing an impor- tant part in the first line of de- fonce against ugly. Inhuman greed. -Reuter.

RUMANIA'S

NEW QUOTAS FOR REICH

Budapest, To-day. Details of the new quotas for German imports into Ru- mania show that the latter country has not yielded very much ground in the recent trade negotiations with the Reich.

000 tons of oilseeds each year.

Russia and all Germany's other neutral neighours together only ex«. port about 260,000 tons yearly.

It is in the light of such considera-Nazi desire to increase the quotas, tions as these, based upon the facts While Germany will receive of economic geography, easily verified, and not open to dispute, and dispas- sionately weighed, that informed opinion here has reached the conclu- sion that the newest move by the

These negotiations, which lasted for about a fortnight,

arose out of the

Nazi chiefs in Moscow cannot make any real difference to the course of the armed struggle which Hitler has precipitated, which was not already discounted in the prudent decision of the British War Cabinet in the early days of the war to plan for a "con- flet lasting three years or more. British Wireless.

more

pig-Iron and petrol," the Rumanian Government has gained quite a victory in refusing to alfor the exchange rate of the Tel to the mark.

The Reich wanted the rate to be 47. lei to the mark, but the fumanlan Government insisted it be kept at its present rate of 41-Reuter.

London, To-day.

The Pan-American Conference yes- terday discussed a plan under which a committee of 21 (1.e., one from each of the participating countries in the Conference) would co-ordinate a Moscow, To-day. solution of all their economic

pro- The newspaper "Isvestia" says that | blems..

WAR 'LOCALISED'

as a result of the Soviet-German part If this plan is approved and adopt- the imperialist war in Central Europeed, the committee will start working has been localized-Reuter.

in Washington in November-Reuter.

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