HARDER MEASURES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 16, 19 January 1940, Page 7

HARDER MEASURES

TO SECURE VICTORY

SUPPLEMENHN.G.-: ECONOMIC

WARFARE

GERMANY'S BURDENS

(British OSicfaJ Wireless.)

(Received January 19, 10.40 a.m.) RUGBY, January 18.

■ A sharp shock has been administered to the German economy as a result of the operations of Britain's economic warfare, and the revelations of the Minister of Economic Warfare, Mr. Ronald Cross, in the House of Commons yesterday made it clear that after four and a half months of war Germany is in something like the same economic straits as after two years of warfare in the last conflict.

Although helped by the 1914-18 experiments, says "The Times," it is no mean achievement for a brand-new Ministry which had to improvise a farreaching organisation for obtaining the necessary information for taking appropriate action to make control of Germany's supplies as effective | almost from the beginning of this war as it was in the Jater stages of last.

The "Daily Telegraph" says that Britain's offensive against enemy trade has been prompt and vigorous. "Not only has she swept the seas of German ships, but our contraband control has reduced to insignificant proportions imports to Germany by way of neutral shipping. The initial friction with neutrals which inevitably accompanies the legitimate exercise of .this belligerent right is. being gradually smoothed out, and it is gratifying in ■this connection to learn of the growing and successful application of the navicert system. Moreoyer, since .the introduction of the embargo on German seaborne exports as a lawful reprisal, replenishment from this source of Germany's supplies of foreign exchange is rapidly becoming impossible."

In reference to that part of the Minister's speech dealing with relations with neutrals, the "Manchester Guardian" says: "The announcement that fourteen agreements over methods -of our economic warfare, are now' being discussed or have already been concluded with neutral Governments must be regarded as one of ,the greatest things in the war." Commenting on the general effect. of the British economic pressure, the "Guardian" says: "It will become really heavy only when Germany, by entering into the full flood of the war, begins to use up her long-accumulated stocks. Till, then she will not be given burdens she cannot bear. Economic warfare can only create an environment of victory .^ There are other harder measures which we shall have to use before we snatch it. That is a thought which the people should always remember."