Pinch Of Economic War On Germany Is Increasing

Northern Advocate, 5 September 1941, Page 5

Pinch Of Economic War On Germany Is Increasing

LONDON, September 4. A review of the past year, from the point of view of economic warfare, discloses that G 8.500 applications for navicerts have been received since August, 1940. says the British Official Wireless. Of these, about two-thirds have been warranted, while 2525 ships sailed with ships’ navicerts and only 48 without them in circumstances where they were required. Goods seized in Axis ships during the past four months total 62,498 tons, and the total seizures since the beginning of the war are now about 800.000 tons. Thirty-nine ships, totalling 143,543 tons have been seized in the last year.

More important than the actual seizures is the fact that they are an indication that the tightening of control does stop ships from setting off to try to reach Axis ports. Air Attacks

There has been a great intensification of air offensive against industrial targets and centres of war industry in Germany, Italy and the occupied countries. This is the most direct form of economic warfare. In spite of efforts to build up war industries in the south and east, western Germany remains the principal arsenal of the enemy’s war effort. The R.A.F. summer offensive has brought powerful assistance 10 our Russian Allies by sapping the supply lines of the eastern front. The attack on Russia has fundamentally affected the conditions in which economic warfare operates.

Last Gap Closed The Germans themselves have always made much of the imports they obtained from and through Russia, so that the largest gap in the blockade was thus automatically stopped on June 22 last, and at the same time, Germany for the first time embarked on a reckless expenditure of accumulated material which will be hard to CP The closing of the Russian gap emphasises the importance of the remaining important gap in the blockade—the Marseilles leak. There is no doubt that the Germans are trying to increase the traffic between North and West Africa and Marseilles. Civilians First Hit The Germans have done their utmost to prepare against blockade; civilians and non-essential industries of the occupied countries and Germany itself must feel the pinch long before the German armed forces. In fact, they are now feeling it so acutely that it is necessary for the Germans to supply many of the countries they looted with food and raw materials. The Russian campaign, among other things, is draining German manpower, which is vital to the enemy for their lighting armies, armies of occupation and the industrial army. It is only fair to say that the effects of the blockade are seen most clearly in German difficulties regarding manpower, transportation and administration. But these are only the outcome of Germany's supply difficulties. which will rapidly increase if her present rate of material expenditure is kept up.