IMPRISONED IN EUROPE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 4, 16 October 1940, Page 4

IMPRISONED IN EUROPE.

Has Germany gained so much by her conquests that she can do without goods from overseas? asks the “Manchester Guardian.” In some important raw materials of war she has exchanged severe want for a superfluity. The iron-ore she sacrificed so much to get from Narvik is now hers in quantities sufficient. She now has Lorraine and Belgium. Aluminium for his aeroplanes Hitler now has in plenty where he had little before, for France is the world’s largest producer. But his Europe is still deficient in the alloys needed for munitions steel —manganese, nickel, tungsten and chrome. Russia could help here, but it is doubtful whether she will, for she wall have no wish to enable Germany to make armaments for future use against her. Oil is still the greatest lack. If Germany took all from Europe (excluding Russia) she would get no more than 12 million tons a year, but in peace Europe consumed more than twice that quantity. Food is no better, for all these lands imported wheat. We can expect from Germany and Italy strong, war-like efforts to break our blockade. We have seen the German air attacks on our own convoys and ports which is one counter-measure. All depends on cur control of the sea and on the final decision in the conflict between aircraft and warships. Let us not forget, as main bulwarks of our economic weapon, Gibraltar and the Suez Canal. These are prizes that would throw open the world to our enemies and we should watch keenly for any threat to possessions so precious-, so vital to om firm hold on the two great prisoners inside the Continent.