FRENCH FOOD SHORTAGE

Grey River Argus, 18 March 1941, Page 10

FRENCH FOOD SHORTAGE

MALNUTRITION RESEARCH VICHY, March 16. Professor Alexis Carrel, collaborator with Lindbergh in robot heart research, has arrived to study the results of malnutrition among workers, women and children.

London Paper’s View OF FRENCH ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS. DUE TO GERMAN METHODS. - [British Official Wireless! RUGBY, March 11. An interesting sidelight on Admiral Darlan’s statement yesterday regarding French food convoys and an impressive commentary on repercussions of German control of French colonies, is given in an article in the current number of “The Economist,” which demonstrates that as long as France is under the German heel, resources of French North Africa will inevitably be drained off. Continuing, the “Economist” says: “Nowhere is the inflationary effect of Germany’s policy of spoliation more apparent than in France’s industrial areas and the best agricultural land iin occupied France. A high percentage of all harvests for 1940 has been requisitioned—in the case of sugar the best percentage was one hundred per cent. What is bought is paid for either in reichsmarks or in kashienmarks, fixed at art entirely arbitrary rate of twenty francs to one mark, both currencies representing claims on German supplies which either not exist, or will never be made available.” i After examining the character o„ .France’s trade with her colonies, that of an exchange by an industrialised metropolitan power with its semi-de-veloped colonial dependencies, the “Economist” says: “On the whole, the balance between exports to and imports from France had remained fairly steady, when allowance is made for the extent of French investment in the Empire. The situation of interdependence was radically altered by the French collapse. The whole basis of the interchange of goods was destroyed, for France had nothing more to give them. Even industries in occupied France are working short time or not at all. Economic life in regions accessible to the colonies —in Vichy, France’s capital— was barely functioning. New ertheless, goods continued and still continue to arrive at Marseilles from Africa. The French colonies cannot break off their trading habits of over a decade, especially when there is no obvious alternative market. Yet, there is this great difference: The old balance between imports and exports is lost. For the first time, the goods arriving at Marseilles far exceed the cargoes leaving that port. Moreover, there is strong evidence to show that the Germans take a' sizeable percentage of any supplies I reaching Marseilles. In other words, a trade between France and her colonies is conforming to the general pattern of German Europe. The French colonies are sending foodstuffs, wine, meat, fats, vegetable oils, phosphates, and other materials to France. Of these, the major part, finds its way either to the markets or to a reserve store at the Reich. It is conceded that little is left for France. But, in either case, the problem of payment is shelved. In return- for a steady draining away of all economic resources, the only payment takes the form of mounting franc balances in Vichy France.