LEAKS IN BLOCKADE

Evening Star, Issue 23564, 1 May 1940, Page 7

LEAKS IN BLOCKADE

USE OF VLADIVOSTOK ROUTE SUBSTANTIAL DIVERSIONS TO GERMANY (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, April 30. (Received May 1, at 11 a.m.) Mr Ronald Cross, speaking to the American Chamber of Commerce, said it was undeniable that there were leaks in ’ the blockade, one being the route via Vladivostock, where copper, rubber, tin, and other materials w T ere imported after tho outbreak of the war in quantities making it virtually certain that at least a good part was going to Germany. The United States had been a source of much of these key war materials. Regarding Germany’s efforts to evade the Allied blockade, the Minister of Economic Warfare said- later in the House of Commons that he was not satisfied with the position as to aerial traffic to and from Germany, especially, over routes leading from Spain and Portugal and connecting with the PanAmerican transatlantic routes to the United States. The possibilities of preventing contraband being thus imported were being examined. He disclosed that parcels of food from overseas which had been intercepted and shown to be destined for Germany bad already run into many thousands Such parcels were seized and placed it prize. "AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON" NO QUICK RESULTS (British Official Wireless.)' RUGBY, April 30. (Received May 1, at 12.30 p.m.) “Economic warfare is an essentially offensive weapon, and to be effective it must be used with the same resolution and thoroughness as any other arm,” said the Minister of Economic Warfare (Mr Cross), in a speech to tho American Chamber of Commerce, which was specially broadcast to* the United States. “By waging economic warfare to the utmost we believe we shall shorten the war by many months,” ho ?aid. “We certainly claim that wo have already made Germany feel its pressure, but economic warfare does not produce quick results. Germany has an immensely powerful economic machine, which has been organised for years to meet the very struggle in which she is now involved. The Germans are a redoubtable enemy and have shown their usual industry and skill in devising ways of evading the blockade. We are constantly at work to defeat this evasion.” He admitted, however,;-that there were leaks, and mentioned the Vladivostok route. Many consignments had reached Vladivostok by curious and suspicion? routes. He said the United States had been a source of much of the raw materials going there. “Wo wonder sometimes how far it is generally realised in your country that important supplies of key war materials have reached Germany in this way,” he added. “ Mention of this dangerous route via Vladivostok shows that the problems with which we have to deal in the economic warfare are worldwide.” Referring to the necessity for Britain to cut down imports of goods not necessary for war. purposes from America and other neutrals, Mr Cross said it was surprising that British purchases of American foodstuffs had been maintained at so high a level. In normal years before the war Britain bought some £20,000,000 worth of such goods annually, while- the latest estimate of similar purchases during the first year of the war was about £16,000,000. This fact, Mr Cross said, was a demonstration of Britain’s desire not to divert trade from its normal channels more than was absolutely necessary. Thanks to the co-operation of American shipowners, delays to ships at British contraband bases, about which therewere earlier certain complaints, were now greatly reduced. Of the 10 American ships which had passed inwards through Gibraltar since March 30, eight were cleared on the day they arrived, and two more were cleared the next day. The navicert system had also been working well. Over 4,800 applications for navicerts had been dealt with since December 1, and neariy 300 fully navicerted ships, which need not enter control bases, had been cleared a) sea within the past few months. , DUTCH NAZIS REFUSE TO DEFEND COUNTRY AMSTERDAM, April 30. (Received May 1, at 12.55 p.m.) Anton Mussert, the Dutch Nazi leader, created a storm by an interview with an American radio commentator, in which he declared that the Dutch Nazis would not intervene on either side if Germany invaded Holland. He added that since National Socialists were excluded from commissions in the army they could not be ex> pected to fight for the Queen. FRENCH COMMUNISTS RINGLEADERS ARRESTED PARIS, April 30, (Received May 1, at 1.10 p.m.) The civil and military police announce the arrest of six ringleaders of the Communist organisation responsible for tho distribution of propaganda in the entire Paris region.