COFFEE FOR GERMANS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 261, 2 October 1940, Page 7

COFFEE FOR GERMANS.

SEQUEL TO “CO-OPERATION.”

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 30. Students who mine in the extensive and tortuous shafts of Nazi propaganda are occasionally rewarded ror their barren toil on masses of crude material by striking a rich vein of irony. As recently as September 26 the Deutschiandsender had this piece of welcome intelligence for the Germans, who have had to go lor long without their favourite beverage : “Commercial co-operation of the continental States, which during this war has still further increased, has made it possible for large amounts of coffee to be delivered to Germany.” That “commercial co-operation” which “increased” as the German armies spread devastation and as the German occupation oppressed and j plundered trade manufacturers of the territories Germany has attacked and seized is a\ sufficiently uproarious exariiple of sly humour, but its quality is improved when it is put in juxtaposition with earlier broadcasts which contained ail explanation of how the new “commercial co-operation” works. On September 7 Radio Paris had a rather different announcement for the delectation of French listeners: “A new chapter has been opened in the history of coffee in France. According to a decree in the Official Journal grocers will only be able to sell ‘new mixture’ coffee, one-third of which will be pure coffee and two-thirds certain products.” The Danes learnt of their part in the co-operative effort on September 18. when it was broadcast that “the Press secretariat of the Ministries announced that from October 1 the monthly coffee ration will be decreased from 250 to 125 grammes.” Four days later from Oslo came a notice to the Norwegians: “The Administrative Council has decided to decrease the coffee ration on ordinary coupons from 80 to 60 grammes.”

MINISTER CLAIMS SUFFICIENCY. The German Food Minister (Herr Darre) said all the British prophecies regarding the collapse of Germany’s supplies had proved false. The harvest was only 2 per cent, below the average for 1934 38, and the bread supply was secure for a long period. Germany had 6,200,000 tons of grain in hand. The potato harvest would probably be 60,000,000 tons, or 5,000,000 above last year, and the sugarbeet crop had reached a record high level of 20,000 000 tons. The fat ration had not been reduced and the meat ration would not be reduced all the winter. A favourable harvest of root vegetables would permit the fattening of more pigs. The vegetable prospects were good, but the fruit crop was poor. Deliveries of milk had increased by ]0 to 16 per cent.;, making more butter available. Difficulties in Belgium and Holland were greatly exaggerated abroad. It would be their own fault if a few French towns ,-went ! hungry in the .'inter. New penalties being imposed in France for unlawful dealings in provisions included the death penalty. TRADE WITH SLAYS.

The German radio states that a new German-Yugoslav trade agreement has been signed. The most important, provision is the intensification of economic relations between the two countries. A German agricultural mission has arrived at Budapest and is working out closer food co-operation between Germany and Hungary. The Rome radio says an Iranian delegation is going to Berlin to negotiate a trade agreement.