AID TO GERMANY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 15 April 1944, Page 2

AID TO GERMANY

PRESSURE ON NEUTRAL COUNTRIES ACTION BY UJ.S. AND BRITAIN (Rec. 1.20 pm.) Rugby, April 14. Trade between certain neutral countries and Germany is again in the limelight. The UniUd States State Department according to a Washington message to-day confirmed that the American and British Governments have taken further steps to induce Sweden as well as other neutrals such as Spain and Turkey to restrict exports of important war material to Germany. No details are given but it is not denied that efforts in Sweden’s direction were concerned ..t least with the export of ballbearings and iron ore. The "Manchester Guardian” says there was a lime from 1935 to 1942 when countries like Sweden and Turkey had to recognise that Germany could destroy them if they defied her and that the Allies, which for a long time meant Britain, could not save them, but now they know that the risk of attack even if not yet non-existent is comparatively slight. It is therefore reasonable to ask that they should not prolong the war by aiding Germany. Some have themselves ta’ cn action to restore the balance. Sweden has withdrawn the railway traffic concessions which she made under pressure. Portugal, which still supplies Germany with wolfram, has at least admitted the Allies to the Azores. Spain, which also supplies wolfram, is still a .spiritual ally of the Germans and will help them as long as she can with what she can. Much the strangest case is Turkey. Does Turkey still say that if Britain is her “ally” Germany is her “friend”? If so it is a standpoint an ally cannot understand. The present situation in Germany is that she is virtually expelled from Russia, her most vital factories are under air bombardment, and she laces gigantic combined assaults on three enormous fronts. It is at this crisis that the United Nations urge with increasing insistence that neutrals who have been fortunate enough to escape German tyranny should cut down the supply of her sinews of war.