ROBBERY BY NAZIS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 March 1941, Page 8

ROBBERY BY NAZIS

“PURCHASES” FROM DENMARK

Denmark is steadily being plundered by the Germans on an increasing scale, which is reminiscent of the ravages of the Middle Ages, says a writer in the London “Daily Telegraph.” True, the Danes do not have their livestock and goods openly requisitioned, and are not compelled to watch the Germans walk away with the loot, but the difference is one of technique only. They “export” to Germany for “payment.” The Germans do “pay” through the so-called clearing account which they keep up with the Danish National Bank. Foreign debts on this account, which means in practice German debts, have now increased to about 350,000,000 kroner. The Danish exporter, paid in Danish money by the National Bank, which is forced to finance Hitler’s “purchases,” on the face of it would seem to be a happy position, but the man in the street in Copenhagen is now beginning to realise the true character of Hitler as “a good customer.”

As no German goods, or at the most merely enough to keep the machinery running for further exploitation, are coming into Denmark to pay for. Danish “exports,” prices are rising rapidly. The price of a rye bread loaf of four kilos has increased from 93 oere to 145 oere. This, more than anything, is bringing home to the Danes the fact that their money is losing its value. They need, in fact, only look at the increasing note circulation of the National Bank, which clearly indicates that inflation is at hand. '

SHARES AND LAND BOUGHT People with money are now buying shares, bonds, and real estate.. The Copenhagen Stock Exchange is very busy and the Minister of Commerce has declared that the Government may decide to stop “unsound speculation” in real estate by prohibiting any estate changing hands more than once in six month.

This, together with the ban on hoarding, is forcing the Danes to realise what price they have to pay for German, “protection.” So far they have paid 350,000,000 kroner, the German debt on the clearing account for the last six months, but now the mass slaughtering of Danish livestock has set it. The summer grass and existing stocks of imported feeding stuffs had hitherto saved cattle and pigs. Now, farmers and stockholders will have to part with half their pigs and the best part of their dairy cows and horses. They have lately been rebuked for sending skinny cattle to the export markets. It was explained that the price of such animals was insufficient to cover the cost of transport to Germany. There can be no doubt that 1

Germany will soon-have “bought” in Denmark to the amount of about 500,000,000 kroner, which means that she will be owing Denmark a sum nearly equal to the income of the

Danish State as given in the Budget So the German debt leaves Denmark helpless and robbed, and in the 'unenviable position of being a creditor !to mail-fisted Germany.