RECOVERY OF GERMANY

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27191, 7 November 1953, Page 7

RECOVERY OF GERMANY

Advantages Over Britain (Special Corresponiient N.Z.P.A.) LONDON. November ®. “Germany is like ,a giant recovering from a knock-out blow with unexpected speed,” says the “Daily Mail” in a leading article in which it describes the Germans as “still the most formidable and dynsfmic people in the Continent.” It adds that Germany is on her feet and no longer groggy. Commenting that her diligent people are all set to try to beat the world in trade. and commerce, the “Daily Mail” says that this week they secured a £25,000,000 order from Turkey for a bridge over the Bosphorus. They also had the lion’s share of an £11,250,000 order from India for locomotives. These are only two of the recent big contracts secured by German firms. Among other things, they are building steel plants in Turkey, Japan, Argentina, Sweden, Norway, Egypt, India and Pakistan. “It is galling* to think that the Germans and not the British are doing such work for countries bo recently, in the Empire. But we have no prescriptive right to these orders—nor should we have >had if the Empire had remained inviolate. “Germany has several advantages over us. For one thing, she is not weighed down by a huge rearmament programme, or by demands of national service. “Her biggest arms firm, Krupps, are forbidden to make war weapons. They therefore have turned to peaceful manufacture, and are making spectacular headway.

“Never were swords turned into ploughshares so successfully. “We do not want the Germans to rearm and build up huge fighting forces again. Yet we would be made to help them to the detriment of our

“The way out of this dilemma. is to call for a German financial contribution to defence on the same scale as that of Britain. “But when all is said and dpne, we shall maintain our position against our rivals only by sheer elementary ability to get down to the job of competing. • “We say nothing now about the need for hard work and wage restraint. We present facts and say with Mr Thorneycroft, the President of the Board of Trade, that ‘our competitive position is not so strong that we can give an inch of advantage to our competitors.’ ”