COMMODITY WAR IN NEUTRAL COUNTRIES

Grey River Argus, 15 May 1945, Page 5

COMMODITY WAR IN NEUTRAL COUNTRIES

(Received 10.40 p.m. May 14) WASHINGTON, May 14 When the Nazis vitally heeded skins and woollens for winter fighting in Russia, the Allies stepped in on the Spanish market—the only one available to the Germans —and forced up prices beyond the enemy's reach. This is revealed in the battle of markets fought as a background to the European war. The chief battle grounds were Turkey, Spain, [Portugal, and Switzerland. The United States were, heavy buyers of tungesten in Spain, wrere prices jumped 3,000 per cent. In. addition Spain imposed one hundred per cent, export tax, but the Allies left the metal in Spain because their own resources were adequate. The Germans leased the only celestite mine in Portugal. Celestite is used m tracer bullets, but the Allies outbid the Nazis, whose lease ..was broken. Switzerland was a difficult problem, but the Allies tied up skilled workmen by smuggling in . raw materials and smuggling out finished goods, mostly by air.