BEST IN DECADE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 109, 1 February 1941, Page 11

BEST IN DECADE

British Imports For Past Year LARGE EXPORTS ALSO (British Official Wireless.) (Received January 31, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, January 30. The return of British overseas trade for December shows imports of £73,574,985 compared with £72,930,436 in November and £86,584,859 in December, 1939. Exports were £24,397,058 against £21,666,181 in November and £40,168,628 in the previous December. Reexports were £653,168, compared with £723,241 in November and £2,501,577 in December, 1939. The total imports for 1940 reached £1,099,868,877 —the highest for more than 10 years, being nearly £70,000.000 higher than the previous peak year in that period, 1937, The total of exports for 1940 is the highest, at £413.084,205, since 1934. BENEATH GERMAN JUGGERNAUT Enslaved Europe HOW HITLER LEVIES HIS TRIBUTE (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, January 30. In a broadcast to North America the Minister of Shipping, Mr. Cross, described Hitler’s new order as “Germany as the centre of a vast circle —a master surrounded by servant and conquered States,” and gave striking figures to show how Hitler was already practising what lie had so long preached. The Minister said: “Since the win started Hitler has already imported no fewer than 2,500,000 ‘foreigners’ _to work iu Germany and he is still importing them, lie wanted a million more at rhe end of last year. Already imported labour amounts to at least 10 per cent, of the workers employed, and their labour adds about 1,275,000.000 dollars a year to Germany’s national income and probably well over 400,000,000 dollars to her war effort.” Boland, said the Minister, had been forced to send to Germany 700,000 tons of grain from the last harvest — half a million tons more than she ever exported. Poles between 16 and 50 had been conscripted for forced labour. Polish State property had been confiscated to tlie value of 2,550,000,000 dollars—in the war theatre all Polishowned estates and industrial enterprises had been confiscated, or. in plain English, stolen. Vast Norwegian Bill. As for Norway. Mr. Cross instanced tlie statement of Carlo Otte. German administrator, who. as Hitler’s spokesman, announced last November that he regarded it as one of the most important tasks iu Norway to inctease tlie labour output and decrease wages. “By lowering actual wages as Otte Ims said, and then lowering ttic standard of living, tlie conditions necessary for tlie incorporation of Norway in tlie European system would lie created, said Air. Cross. “Norway is paying to Germany 1,870.(100,000 dollars a year as an occultation bill —a itenvier burden pci head than that imposed on France—this is a third of Norway's entire income, and this does not include what is being extracted by banking frauds or property confiscation.” Mr. Cross surveyed tlie plight of other servant States and concluded: “In some degree he is successfully tricking them. The wheels, of Hitler’s juggernaut are really turning.” (Received January 31, 9.15 p.m.) SEEING ALL SIDES OF LIFE Mr. Willkie In London LONDON, January 30. Pursuing his intention of gaining n view of every side of life in London. Mr. Wendell Willkie this morning visited a public house in the West End and talked witli the people there, joining in their games. During the day he had interviews with the Lord Chancellor, Lord Simon, and the First Lord of the Admiralty. Mr. Alexander, dining later with the Minister of Information. Mr. Dull Cooper. Lord Simon showed .Mr. Willkie some of the damage to the Temple. Mr. Willkie was obviously upset by the ruins and remarked : “This destruction is all so utterly useless from the point of view of Germany’s war effort." Ijiiter lie aecotvted a glass of brandy from ttie famous cellars, and gave « six-word toast, “To the restoration of the Temple.” Tomorrow, -Mr. Willkie will visit the provinces, and will inspect certain Army defences. BRAVE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS Gave Up Lives In Air Raids I LONDON, January 30. 1 Dr. R. E. Priestley, vice-chancellor ; of the Birmingham University, in his I annual report, refers to the recent destruction of tlie university buildings as a result of nlr raids. He paid a tribute to tlie many unusually brilliant students who gave up their lives defending tin* university. NO GRAND NATIONAL i (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, January 30. I The Home Secretary, Mr. Herbert I Morrison, stated in answer to a question in Parliament that he had carefully considered a proposal that a substitute for tlie Grand National Steeplechase be held at Cheltenham, and, having come to the conclusion that such a fixture was undesirable, he was asking the stewards of the National Hun: Club not to proceed with arrangements DUTCH SUBMARINE LOST LONDON, January 30. Loudon headquarters of the Netherlands navy have announced the loss of a submarine which is unnamed. The Admiralty announces that the Britisli trawler Pelton (385 tons) has been sunk.