NAZI PLUNDERING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 265, 7 October 1940, Page 7

NAZI PLUNDERING.

ON SCIENTIFIC BASIS. CURRENCY MANIPULATION. (British Official Wireless.) < RUGBY, Oct. 5. The Financial News to day devotes an editorial to the methods and extent of the Nazi plundering in occupied territories, which, it says, had been known for some time in the case of Poland and Czechoslovakia but were till recently less obvious in respect of northern and western Europe. The populations of these later victims were now awake.

“They know that though there us no looting in the literal sense their countries are being plundered by the invaders much more thoroughly than in the days when plunder was the victorious armies’ due reward,” it. states. “For looting is now organised with the scientific thoroughness characteristic of the Nazi regime.” Devaluation of the currencies of defeated nations was one of the obvious methods of exploitation, and by this method the German purchases, stimulated by a favourable reichsmark rate, were a dead loss to the countries concerned, which were deprived of their goods and received in exchange claims on the Reich which would be cancelled in due course. The Germans got the goods while the conquered nations were left with inflated currencies and depleted commodity stocks. PROGRESSIVE PLUNDERING. The Financial News adds. “It might be argued that, after all, a country can only be plundered once. That, however, is precisely where the superiority of Hitler’s methods over those of Gnengis Khan is most apparent. The German conquerors are proceeding to organise production in the conquered countries for their own benefit.

“They make full use of the factories which they need and dismantle the others so that they can use their equipment elsewhere. They exploit the labour resources of the conquered countries by forcing the unemployed masses to accept work in Germany. Tne terms of their employment are most unfavourable.

“The production of goods needed by Germany is stimulated by the self-same inflation which accompanied the acquisition of the pre-war supplies oi goods of the conquered countries by Germany. Production is stimulated by the artificial purchasing power put into circulation by the German purchasers and by the artificial depreciation of the national currencies. Once goods are available the occupation authorities have first call on them. VICTIMS REACT.

“This process may continue for a Ion" time unless the producers, in the conquered countries, realising its implications, refuse to lend themselves to it In their own interests t'hey should curtail production and conceal their stocks as far as possible. This is already being done on rn extensive scale in Czechoslovakia and Poland, and the other victims of Nazi aggression ought to follow their example before the process of their exploitation is carried much further. Fortunately, there are signs that a realisation of the true nature of Nazi, rule is evoking an increasing tendency to passive resistance By such means, even m thenpresent evil hour, t'he conquered peoples can contribute toward their salvation.” , According to Czech sources in London September witnessed extensive arrests in Bohemia and Moravia o Czech intellectuals and workers. The Gestapo in the main imprisoned people who in the German opinion, were or mi"ht be in contact with the Czechoslovakian Government in London.