CASH DIFFICULTY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 139, 9 March 1943, Page 5

CASH DIFFICULTY

Nazis’ Marketing Loot

(Received March 8, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, March 7.

“Germany is finding increasing difficulty in obtaining foreign exchange for financing the propaganda abroad and also for the diplomatic and consular services and the importation of such war materials as can still be obtained from the countries that refuse to allow her to augment her swollen adverse balances in the clearing account,” says “The Tinies” correspondent on the German frontier. “Field-Marshal Goering now proposes to seize all precious metals, including jewellers’ stocks of unworked residues, and to order the surrender of all private ornaments. This would allow foreign payments to be made either in gold or in foreign exchange obtained by purchase against gold. The Gestapo for the same reason is redoubling its efforts to find foreign purchasers for the vast stocks of diamonds which were seized at Amsterdam and Antwerp, the nominal value of which was £29,000,000. Gestapo agents in many countries have been offered 10 per cent, on the whole stock in order to stimulate their enthusiasm and find buyers. These agents so far have met with no success, because the foreign markets are well aware of the origin of the merchandise and fear that they would be black-listed by the whole trade if they bought the looted stones.”