GERMAN PRISONS COMBED

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 95, 16 January 1943, Page 5

GERMAN PRISONS COMBED

Feeding War Machine (Received January 15, 11.50 p.m.) LONDON, January 14. An intensive drive is being organized throughout Germany to glean every man capable of bearing .arms for the front line, says “The Times” correspondent on the German frontier. All men born between 1894 and 1925 who are physically fit have been summoned to the colours, and volunteers in the class of 1926, which so far has not been called up, are being assiduously recruited. The Germans are scouring the prisons and penitentiaries for volunteers, and prisoners serving upward of 12 years who are suitable for service on the Eastern Front are granted an immediate release and drafted into the Wehrmacht. The correspondent also refers to a manpower discussion between Herr Hitler and the Rumanian leader, General Antonescu, at Berchtesgaden. Rumania has 22 divisions on the eastern front, which is about 500,000 men. The loss - es up to the end of 1942 were 300,000. Rumania so far has not made up the losses, and at the end of last year Antonescu refused to send new troops to replace them. A provisional agreement was ultimately reached wherebv the Rumanian divisions which had lost less than 25 per cent, should be tilled from the reserves for the last, time, while divisions with losses greater than 25 per cent, should bo fused, forming new divisions at full strong! h. Vichy radio says that Germany is offering a sum equivalent to £6 sterling to those French workers who stay in Germany after their first contract expires. The Germans describe the offer as an “equipment allowance.”

The Soviet news agency says it is reported from Stockholm that 400,000 workers are being sent from Holland to Germany in the next few weeks. Workers who refuse to go voluntarily may be sent forcibly under Dr. Seyss Inquart’s special order.