ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS

Grey River Argus, 29 July 1940, Page 7

ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS

Enemy Occupied Areas RADIO INDICATIONS. [British Official Wireless] (Received July 28, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, July 27. German controlled broadcasts to the occupied territories now contain almost daily indications of economic hardships which they are suffering under German occupation. As Germany’s own needs take precedence over those of peoples in the occupied countries, broadcasts also indicate where the shoe is pinching in Germany. Germany’s difficulties over fuel oil are wed known, and an illustration of what they mean for Norway was provided in a recent broadcast in Denmark. This stated that the Norwegian administration has decided to maintain only the most necessary coastal traffic to save as much as possible the Norwegian supplies of oil. According to the new scheme, no coastal districts will be connected with the outer world by both sea and land, if one route is sufficient. Stocks of solar oil are mainly to be reserved for fishermen •Holland, too, has to suffer to make up the Reich’s deficiencies. Dutch housewives, who received the following advice, doubtless reflected that it was unnecessary before they enjoyed German “protection”. The advice was as follows: “The housewives should be economical in the use of fuel. It is not necessary to wasn knives cups and silver three times a day in hot water, once being sufficient, and this saves water, soda, soap and fuel. We also recommend the use of hayboxes for cooking. The announcer added that the use of raw vegetables and fruit saves fuel. Another announcement to the Dutch people explained that, on account of a shortage of chicken fodder, instructions had been given that poultry in Holland must be reduced to six million before September 15. This is approximately one-third of the normal number. German Butter Supply AT FLANDERS’ EXPENSE [British Official Wireless] (Received July 28, 7.30 p.m.) RUGBY, July 27. Two broadcast items from different parts of the vast network of German and German-controlled wireless propaganda, when brought into juxtaposition, throw light on the way in which the Nazis are bringing badiyneeded relief to the food shortage they have created for German people by depriving peoples in occupied territory of their rightful supplies. On the night of July 26 the Germancontrolled Brussels wireless apologised for an acute shortage of butter in Antwerp, and to a lesser extent, all over Flanders. It was stated by the announcer that the reason for the shortage was that only a small part of the local butter supplies were purchased for the German Army. The disappearance of the commodity from the town markets was principally due, he suggested to the fact that “a gang of criminal dealers” had purchased butter at dairies and from farmers. On the same night the German home programme from the Deutchlandsender broadcast a triumphant announcement of ; “a special addition to the butter ration of 125 grammes per head of the population of Germany”.