INVASION AREAS

Evening Star, Issue 25083, 26 January 1944, Page 5

INVASION AREAS

GOLD-BLOODED NAZI MEASURES WITHHOLDING FOOD AND CLOTHING (Ilea 8 a.m.) NftW YORK, Jan. 24. The Nazis are deliberately depriving the French, Belgians, and Dutch of food and clothing this winter to weaken the spirit of resistance among the inhabitants in the area the German High Command has earmarked as the invasion coast, says the London correspondent of the New York ' Herald Tribune. 1 Most sources agree, however, that the policy of deprivation has failed to accomplish its objective, and that resistance to the Nazis has not diminished in direct ratio to the physical decline of the people. Recent arrivals from Western Europe report that the morale of the underground movement remains high, and that sabotage, particularly on the important supply routes, continues on an appreciable scale. They believe that anv spark could explode the dynamite of "a large-scale assault from the rear on the German defences. Civilian morale, however, declined steadily throughout last year, and to that extent the German policy has apparently succeeded. It has _ been marked by a general reduction in rations and a failure to make goods available to fill the requirements for which coupons have been issued, the German policy of deprivation is apparently intended as a blackmail gesture to force work or collaboration jn return for the minimum necessities.