DENMARK

Grey River Argus, 17 April 1940, Page 8

DENMARK

GERMAN CAPTURE OF SUPPLIES. RUGBY. April 15. In speculation on the motives inspiring Germany’s invasion of Denmark and Norway, stress has been -’aid in some quarters on what were stated to be the augmented stores of petrol in Denmark, as well as Danish food supplies. Authorities in fuel questions in Britain are not inclined to place very high Germany’s gains in petrol. The total supplies available in Denmark; arc put by oh e writer at .200,000 tons, equal only to a fortnight’s German peace-time consumption. If this tig-1 vr c is compared with the generallyaccepted estimate that, in thg Polish' campaigns the Germans used 2,500,-! 000 tons of petrol in three weeks, it is seen to represent a very minor ad-' dition to the resources of the aggros-, sor, and it should be remembered,' also, that if Germany seized the 1 whole of this, Danish agriculture would be deprived of motor power, and would be unable to stipply Ger-1 many. Moreover, to r-ome by this! small store, Germany has been involved in a campaign which is costing heavy expenditure in petrol. BRITISH LOSS OF DANISH SUPPLIES. RUGBY, April It). Although there is no possibility, in view of the inevitable restrictions of! shipping, of being able to replace up' to 100 per cent, of the food supplies lost to Britain as a result of the German advance ih the north, and particularly the occupation of Denmark, the Food Ministry is confident that there will be ample supplies of butter, bacon, and eggs coming to these shores, which, with home production, will keep the services, and civilians in full health and vigour. The P ro ’ sent large stores of these commodities in this country were due to the fact that, from the outbreak of tne war, it was obvious that supplies from Denmark and the Baltic could not be relied upon indefinitely. It is problematical whether the present rations of butter and bacon will be continued, but it is impossible to forecast when a revision is likely, as the Food Ministry has been favourably impressed by the i regularity with which large supplies from distant sources have been arriving. " The margarine situation has greatly improved since the butter ration was doubled, and the Ministry has been able to build up working reserves in the past few weeks.