A BACKGROUND OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 283, 24 August 1940, Page 10

A BACKGROUND OF THE WAR

Germany’s Soya Beans IMPORTANT SUPPLY MAY BE LOST Rumania's cession of the southern Dobruja to Bulgaria serves as a reminder that the cession of Bessarabia to Russia has left the Nazis wondering how they are going to fare with certain supplies which Bessarabia used to provide in large quantities. Writing from Bucharest last month, Eugen Kovacs, a well-known journalist. recorded that Otto Neubacher, one of Germany's two Ministers in Rumania, and who is charged with economic affairs, had returned to Bucharest from Galati and left again next morning for Bessarabia. He was seeking to adjust some of the complex economic and minority questions resulting from the cession of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to Russia. It was then not certain whether Herr Neubaeher’s mission would be admitted to Russian territory. Previously permission for such a visit was requested and refused. Great Losses

“Germany has suffered great losses by the sudden transfer, which was certainly uot anticipated by the Reich,” he writes. “For example, German llrms had contracted in advance for the crops of about 1,000,000 acres of soya beans, for which 2,000,000,000 lei—about £2,soo,ooo—had already been paid. “It is not certain if or when Germany will receive this important crop. Bessarabia is the district in Rumania best suited for the cultivation of soya beans and Germany has encouraged that growth, since it is difficult to import them from the Netherlands Indies or Manehukuo, formerly chief sources of supply. Soya beans are used for the production of fats and glycerine employed in the manufacture of explosives. Edible Oils'

“Bessarabia was the source of about 70 per cent, of Rumanian production of edible oils. Germany, during recent years, had also greatly fostered cultivation of sunflowers here. The Bessarabian peasant produced oil for Rumania, and the supply grown in the old kingdom was sold to the Germans under a special agreement. Now, either the Rumanian or the German supply is cut off. There is not enough in the old kingdom for both. “Herr Neubacher is trying his best to obtain access to these products again. He tried similarly during his trip to Galati to prevent loss of important cereal stocks which were waiting in the ports of Reni and Chilia at the time of the occupation, Romanian Harvest

“These losses, which are at best temporary and possibly permanent, are important to the Reich. Rumania’s harvest this year will be a very bad oue, even if demobilization comes in time to permit the assemblage of the necessary labour supply. “On the contrary, Bessarabia expects the best harvest in 22 years. With this loss to Rumania, it is possible the country may not be able to export grain to Germany this year,” (a fact borne out in today’s cable news). The Danube Delta

“Added to these actualities is the ever-present threat that Russia may seek to occupy the entire Danube delta. If this should be achieved, it would interfere with the German plans to make the Rhine-Main and Danube canal system a barge highway-to the East. It is not likely that the Germans will go ahead with labour on this scheme if tho terminus of the canal system is under Russian control.

“For the moment, Galati and Braila are still at the disposal of Germany, but trade there is at a momentary standstill. It is possible that the Germans will now enforce certain rights under the Wohlthat agreement of March, 1939, permitting establishment of free zones in these ports.”

A.R. Pants .... One immediate result of a recent night air-raid warning in Manchester was an increase in the sale of trousers. A housewife in one north-west-ern suburb where the sirens had never been used in earnest before set out next, morning to buy a pair. Her first acquaintance with the dismal sirens had not enabled her to decide, though it had raised again, those barely soluble questions of how to act in an air raid; whether to waken the children and take them out of their beds to a shelter across the. garden whether to turn the gas off at tho main or use it to make tea, and so on. But it had decided her that dressinggowns will uot do for these occasions; they impede movement, and tend to make oue feel flustered even if one is not. Other women had found the same thing; the costumier had already sold in a few hours more trousers for women than she could remember selling for months, and had only three pairs left. Happily one of the three was the right size. Tin In The Indies

The most important tiu-producing countries are located along the shores of the Pacific, being the Netherlands East Indies, Malaya, Siam, ludo-China, China, Bolivia. These furnish SO per cent, of the world’s tin output. The Netherlands Indies rank third in the list of tin-producing countries, Malaya and Bolivia taking first and second place in order. In 1936 and 1937 when Bolivian production lagged, the Netherlands Indies went into second place. Her share of the entire world output averages 15 per cent. Though tin is not looked on as a war material, it is of great value to war industries. 'lt is indispensable to make tinplate used to can foods, and as a raw material in preparing alloys used in the automobile and other industries. The United States is far the greatest tin consumer but. produces none itself. As a source of revenue for the Netherlands Indies Government, tin plays a big part. American Inventions

The American Senate Naval Committee reported recently that “a reputable scientist’’ had reported discovery of an explosive about 100 times more powerful than TNT, most destructive of World War explosives. “The committee has received many suggestions regarding new devices for our national defence,” the committee report said. “For example, a reputable scientist has informed the committee that be hud discovered an explosive approximately 100 times more powerful than TNT.”

At this point the committee report carried a parenthetical note saying that tlie explosive in question was not the Harlow liquid oxygen carbon bomli recently tested t>y military experts “Another (scientist > lias informed the commit lee,” the report continued, “that fuels have been developed which will increase the radius of action of our aircraft approximately 50 per cent.”