SHORT OF PETROL

Evening Star, Issue 23438, 1 December 1939, Page 10

SHORT OF PETROL

GERMANY'S PREDICAMENT NO HELP FROM RUSSIA NEW YORK, November 30. The New York ‘ Times ’ Washington correspondent, in an exclusive despatch, states that military and naval quarters say that Germany is facing a serious situation because of rapidlydiminishing oil and petrol supplies. “ Britain and France are getting millions of barrels from the United States, but not a single barrel of American oiL is believed to have reached Germany. Frantic efforts by Germany to develop synthetic petrol factories, which they hope will be ready in 1940, are considered-to be evidence of the gravity of the situation. “ German hopes of Russian supplies are baseless since Russia is pressed to fill her own needs, particularly motor fuels, of which she imported 248,000 barrels from the United States in September. Germany’s annual petrol requirements for her estimated 6,000 to 8,000 planes would be 12,000,000 barrels, apart from other requirements.” The exhaustion of Germany’s petrol reserves since the Polish campaign may explain the lack of mass flights over Britain and France now and the absence of an attack on the western front. WAR TAXATION RICH " SEVERELY SRAKED ’’ LONDON, November 29. “ I have not shown unwillingness greatly to burden the very rich,” the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir John Simon, said in the House of Commons. “ There are 10,000 persons in the country with an annual income of £IO,OOO and upwards, of which the aggregate income is £180,000,000. From that total I take £120,000,000 in income tax and surtax. If I took it all it would be 5 per cent, of the amount I need to borrow this year, and it would keep the country going seven to ten days. Moreover, I take an addition of £40,000,000 from this group every year in death duties, making £160,000,000 a year. The rich are already severely 1 soaked,’ and there are not enough of them to find any considerable fraction of the money needed. The taxation of big incomes might reach a point where it gravely interferes with the fulfilment of obligations, therefore the only way that democracy can meet this terrible burden is through sacrifices by the whole population. It is impossible to maintain the peacetime living standard. It is said that victory in this war might be an empty shell, but defeat would mean the triumph of a system under vrhich no man can call his soul hia own. The stake for which we are fighting will benefit every single cititse a." LOSS OF THE RAWALPINDI SOME OF CREW TAKEN PRISONER LONDON, November 30. (Received December 1, at 10.30 a.m.) The Admiralty announced that a small number of the Rawalpindi ratings was taken prisoner. The captain, 38 officers, and 226 ratings are missing. HELD AS HOSTAGES . BRITKN WOMEN IN GERMANY LONDON, November 30. (Received December 1, at 11 a.m.); The Berlin correspondent of the British United Press states that , the police in the last few; nights have arrested a score of British women, whom they are detaining until the Foreign Office has ascertained whether any German women are arrested in Britain. A few Australian women were arrested last week and were later released. No British or French women are interned, but 100 English and 120 French men are interned. LOAN IN AMERICA DR SOHACHT'S SCHEME LONDON, November 30. (Received December 1, at 11.5 a.m.) A Berlin message says Dr Schacht is planning to raise a loan in the United States from bankers of German descent. Thus he expects to obtain enough foreign currency to pay for imported war materials. DAMAGED BRITISH SHIPS REPORTED AT NORWEGIAN PORT • OSLO, November 30. (Received December 1, at 11 a.m.) The Admiralty has announced that two British cruisers and one submarine, which were damaged, put into Mostaroey, near Stavanger, pleading distress of weather and damage. The Admiralty sent aircraft and coastguards to examine the vessels. The British United Press learns that one ship accompanying the damaged submarine is a torpedo boat. GUARDING AGAINST SABOTAGE SPECIAL PROTECTION FOR BRITISH SHIPS SAN FRANCISCO, November 30. Following the British Consul’s request that special police guards should be placed on British ships to prevent sabotage, special coastguard convoys will also be provided to escort incoming .vessels, •