GERMAN REFUGEES

Evening Star, Issue 25672, 21 December 1945, Page 6

GERMAN REFUGEES

FLOWING INTO BRITISH ZONE SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR AUTHORITIES (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.; LONDON, December 20. The flow of refugees info the British zone from the Russian zone and from former German territory now incorporated in Poland continues at the fairly steady rate of from 10,000 to 12,000 a day, reports the special correspondent of 1 The Times.’ In addition, there is certainly a considerable miniher who smuggle themselves illicitly over the frontier, but there has been no reeeut increase in the average numbers so far as is known, and reports to that effect are declared to be incorrect by officers of the control section dealing with refugees and displaced persons. “ HEAD-FOR-HEAD ” SCHEME. Theoretically, all these refugees are coming into the British zone under the “ head-for-head ” scheme, and their places— at least in the (Russian zone—should be taken by an equal number of Germans from the British area, but in point of fact this is not happening, and only about 3,000 leave each day from the 'British area for the Russian. This latter channel has been blocked lately by the decision to accelerate the disbandment of the former Wehrmacht personnel, many of whom are now being returned to their homes in the 'Russian zone, thus taking the places of civilian refugees on trains. Refugees do not pay much attention to orders to proceed to given reception areas, hut endeavour, mostly with success, to drop off* trains unnoticed and make their way back to their homes, which were generally in the Ruhr or Hamburg. precisely the places where it is not desired now to increase the number of mouths to feed. One of the satisfactory features of the whole refugee question is that British officers on the spot declare that they are able to work together witli their Russian opposite numbers on a satisfactory basis CONTROL OF RUHR INDUSTRIES.

Expropriation of the entire property of the coal mines and steel plants of the Ruhr by the British occupation authorities is soon to take place, reports the 1 Manchester Guardian’s ’ diplomatic correspondent. The plan envisaged is one that might loosely be described as nationalisation. Direction and ownership will pass from German companies and their managements to British authorities, to be held in trust until such time as the future of the 'Ruhr is finally decided. The managements appointed by the British will no doubt take the place of the present German personnel. The process differs considerably from the nationalisation that is being carried out in the Russian zone. There State control is being put into force piecemeal, and holdings handed over to German provincial administrations. The 'Ruhr plan applies to the area as a whole, with control vested in the occupying Power in lieu of the State, which has yet to be defined. The door is thus left open for any subsequent international project, if such should he agreed upon in the future. ROUND-UP OF INDUSTRIALISTS. The first indication of British intentions Avas the round-up at the beginning of December of a large number of Nazi industrialists of the Ruhr. Accused of supporting their presencetoo long, the British authorities have' been more or less obliged to tolerate it in the early dilemma of getting industry going at all. The sudden, wide-scale arrests were a sign that this uneasy period was passing, ft is also clear that since the whple weight of heavy German industry was behind the Nazi Party, any thorough system of de-Nazification must lead to a situation where expropriation would be almost inescapable. The de-Nazifica-tion has been as strong a factor in bringing about the British decision as any will to impose a rationalised regime. The chief point of difference between the French and British views is alleged to be that whereas the British favour economic internationalisation, the French demand political internationalisation also. Although this demand may not appear in so many words in the French plans, it can be assumed from the French desire for economic internationalisation, coupled with France’s objection to bringing the Ruhr within the orbit of a central German administration. In the long run a compromise between the two views might not be possible.