Rate Of Recovery In Germany: “Fury Of Effort”

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 November 1949, Page 7

Rate Of Recovery In Germany: “Fury Of Effort”

LONDON, November 28.—After visiting the Allied and Russian zones in Germany a correspondent of the Daily Mirror says that at the present rate of recovery the Germans in another five years will “be talking right back at us, and ugly talk at that.” He speaks of “the solid, relentless, unremitting toil” of the Germans — “a people so obedient, .so patient, so uncomplaining, so remorseless, building up their industry with a cold determination that cannot be surpassed.” He adds: “With any other nation you could cheer. But with these warlike people, with their hideous past, it is, to me at any rate a blood-chilling spectacle. They are hammering out their fate (and that of their neighbours) with such a fury of effort that determination never again to allow this nation to get on top is turning to water before our eyes. Production Drive “At the present rate of progress and in spite of great handicaps Germany will soon be ready to break into the markets of the outside world. There will be no stopping her. The skill, energy, and determination are there. A dynamic drive for production is everywhere. “You get it in the sweat of steel workers. You get it from the waitresses serving meals in cafes. Steel production could go to 16,000,000 tons (instead of 11,000,000 tons). The little girls carrying meals to customers work 10 to 12 hours a day. A plumber in the place where I am staying in Munich hammered away till 3 o’clock

in the morning. Why, I don’t know — but he did. “I don’t .say these things are good. All I know is that they happen. All I know is that they produce results. “What do the unions say about it ip Germany? Have they got unions? They have, but whatever they say the fact remains that this, toil, this slavery—call it what you like—goes on. German Economy “You will be told that the whole of the German economy is false—that she is being propped up by Britain and America. I. seem to remember that the British Treasury, too, has had some

artificial injections from Marshall aid. Anyway, the Germans remember that after the First World War it was the United States who financed their reequipment, reorganised .their factories, and laid the foundations of the most modern armament industry in the world. Why not again? “The restrictions on the building of ocean-going ships have been lifted on vessels up to 7200 tons at Bonn. The dismantling business has all but ceased. In the air virtual control of the airfields has been handed over to the Germans. They , are not allowed to fly—yet. But for how long?”