TIGHTENING OF BELTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 March 1946, Page 5

TIGHTENING OF BELTS

MONTGOMERY’S ORDER TO 1 RHINE ARMY OFFICERS TRADE UNIONS AND NAZIS (Rec. 2 p.m.) -LONDON, March 21. Field-Marshal Lord Montgomery in an ordef at British Army of the Rhine Headquarters, said: “The Commander-in-Chief considers the present an appropriate time to take stock of the standard of living generally applicable to officers of the Rhine Army in order to make quite sure this standard is in tune with the times in which we live. He is inclined to an opinion that we are living too well in Germany,’ beyond what is necessary and suitable.”

The order referred to the conduct of officers’ messes and clubs. It said officers’ mesSes and clubs should set an example in moderation regarding meals which should be “simple and not exceeding three courses.” There was a world-wide shortage of food and Germany had been forced to introduce family-scale rationing for the civilian population. There was also a severe shortage at home.

“Prolonged occupation of Germany is necessary to safeguard world peace and security,” declared the provisional report of the commission of the World Federation of Trade Unions which recently visited Germany. The report emphasises that denazification should be given priority over any desire to achieve maximum productivity and also over the industrial, requirements of the German people. Military Government officials too frequently ignored directives in this regard. The commission criticised the denazification appeals procedure in several zones which resulted in the reinstatement of many Nazis. It suggested that the trade unions should be represented on the appeal boards. The commission urged that unions should be charged with the task of re-educating the German people and disseminating the principles of democracy. It considered that industrial unions should be organised throughout the zone on the basis of one for each industry and recommended the establishment of regular contact between the W.F.T.U., the occupying Powers and the German trade unions.