SELF-SUFFICIENCY FAILS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23262, 3 February 1939, Page 8

SELF-SUFFICIENCY FAILS

So much has been heard in recent years of Germany's efforts to make herself economically self-sufficient that it may surprise many that last year her international trade amounted to £892,000,000. The sum is comparable with that of Britain's overseas trade last year, returned at £1,455,000,000. Britain, however, is the greatest international trader in the world, upholder of an open economy and of the freest possible exchange of commodities. For political reasons chiefly—although economic straits contributed —Germany has sought to reduce her dependence on imports. Tariffs, quotas, and embargoes were reinforced first by exchange control and then by export and import controls. Meanwhile Germany cultivated every yard of land, exploited every native ore however low it yielded, and set scientists to work in matchless laboratories to invent substitutes for all manner of goods so as to eliminate imports. Behind this effort was set the whole organising power of the able German bureaucracy, the vast industrial resources of the Reich, and the disciplined labour power of tens of millions. The people were harnessed to this gargantuan economic machine on the plea that they were a beleaguered garrison in a hostile world and must produce or perish. The twin doctrines of nationalism and socialism were used as motivating forces. And the result 1 In the fifth year of the NationalSocialist regime, the Reich was still so far short of self-sufficiency that goods valued at £454,000,000 had to be imported, and goods valued at £438,000,000 had to be exported to pay for them. Surely there has never before been so convincing a demonstration of the impossibility of complete self-sufficiency. "We are all members of one body," and "planning" by Field-Marshal Goering or Mr. Nash cannot alter the fact.