BAD BARGAIN

Evening Star, Issue 23563, 30 April 1940, Page 5

BAD BARGAIN

GERMANY’S SCANDINAVIAN ADVENTURE LOSS OF IRON ORE SOPPLIES ADVANTAGES LIE WITH ALLIES (British Official Wireless.) Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, April 29. (Received April 30, at 9.35 a.m.) The attention of the British Press is again being directed to the effect of the invasion of Norway on Germany’s supplies of iron ore. The subject is also attracting attention in the newspapers of certain neutrals, and prominence is given in London to a carefullybalanced survey in the Vatican newspaper, ‘ Osservatore Romano.’ It points out that in 1938 Germany produced 11,000,000 tons of the 33,000,000 she required. Of the 22,000,00 tons she hitherto obtained from abroad, some 1.000. tons came from Norway and 9.000. from Sweden. The blockade of Narvik and the destruction of the railway to Kiruna have paralysed this traffic. The situation, it is pointed out, may change, hut at the moment Germany has lost 9,000,000 tons imimported from Allied countries and' 10.000. from Scandinavia, and can only count on getting 3,000,000 tons from other sources at a time when iron ore is of paramount importance. The paper examines the loss which Germany’s Scandinavian adventure has inflicted upon herself with regard to shipping. Norway’s mercantile fleet of 2,950 ships and 4,500,000. tons is exceptionally large—the third largest in the world—while Denmark’s 800 ships represent 1,500,000 tons. A great part of the fleets of both nations was in foreign ports when the invasion began, and the ships cannot in any case return to their home ports, and, as is now known, most of them have passed into Allied control. The Vatican newspaper remarks that the Allies thus have not only been compensated for all the losses of their own mercantile marine, but have actually augmented the size of their mercantile fleets. Further points are made that, while at the beginning of the war the trade of Denmark and Norway with the United States increased by 50 per cent., and presumably the extra American goods were going to Germany, neither Denmark nor Norway can now render such service to Germany. STRAWS IN THE WIND ZURICH, April 29. (Received April 30, at 10.45 a.m.) The German Government has ordered the removal of all iron gates and garden fences throughout Germany,, and the confiscation of all metal door handles is expected. WINNING THE WAR BRITAIN’S PRIMARY CONSIDERATION (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 29. (Received April 30, at 10 a.m.) Commenting on the “ excellent and promising ” tone of the Minister of Shipping’s speech on Saturday, the ‘ Manchester Guardian ’ says: “ It was the speech of a man who means business. Less and less do the discussions matter about whether all Germans are solidly behind Hitler or what we propose to do with Germans of all kinds after the war. As Mr Hudson pointed out, our first affair, and the only one mattering at present, is to win and win handsomely.” FIRES IN BUDAPEST NAZIS BLAKE BRITISH SECRET SERVICE BERLIN, April 29. (Received April 30, at 8 a.m.) The radio blames the British Secret Service for great fires which occurred in Budapest armament works and a sugar factory. BACON AND BUTTER COHSIDERABLE STOCKS IN HAND (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 29. (Received April 30, at 9.50 a.m.) The German occupation'of Denmark has had the effect of slightly reducing Britain’s stocks of bacon and butter, said an official of the Ministry of food. There were, however, still considerable supplies, and there was no immediate possibility of a revision of the scale of rationing. DUTCH EAST INDIES THREE NEW BATTLE *CRUISERS BATAVIA, April 29. (Received April 30, at 11 a.m.) The People’s Council approved a Bill providing for the construction of three battle cruisers for the defence of the East Indies,