SCIENTIFIC LOOTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 52, 29 August 1940, Page 11

SCIENTIFIC LOOTING

NAZI EXPLOITATION

OTHER COUNTRIES' RESOURCES

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 27. The methods by which the Nazis are hypothecating. for their own purposes the resources of the countries which have come under their domination are carefully analysed in an article in the "Economist," under the title "Scientific Looting." The writer points out that "the exploitation of the countries in a state of political or economic dependence upon Germany began long before the war. They were tricked and bullied into doing more and more trade with. Germany on less and less satisfactory terms, but because it was theoretically possible for them to trade with, other countries there was a limit beyond which Germany could not exploit them. "No such limit exists in the countries now under German control. Thera is no need for Germany to send them even aspirin and mouth-organs in exchange for their goods. Germany has a huge surplus of imports in her trade with all the occupied countries. Practically the whole German export trade with them is in goods needed either by the armies of occupation or by the factories engaged in contracts for the German armed forces. \ "This does not mean that the owners of goods requisitioned or bought by the Germans are not paid for them. The Germans are too clever to resort to a crude form of looting, except in more remote countries such as Poland. They pay for everything, and pay generously, with the conquered nation's own money. Germany, in addition to inflating her own currency, is in a position to inflate the currencies of other nations." The writer, describing the various methods of payment adopted, says that in each case Germany obtains something for nothing. Sooner or later the victims will realise that they are unable to spend the money they have received from Germany.