NAZI NEEDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23490, 30 October 1939, Page 9

NAZI NEEDS

WAR SUPPLIES 1 IMPORT PROBLEM SHORTAGE OF GOODS INDUSTRIES SUEFER (Received October 29, 8.5 p.m.) British "Wireless LONDON, Oct. 28 In a survey of the present economic position in Germany, the Economist says:— , In general the first measures-in Germany's new war economy, though they, have shown remarkable talent for comprehensive centralised organisation, have clearly revealed Germany's outstanding weakness. There is a shortage of fats, metals, minerals and textile fibres, for supplies of which Germany normally relies upon imports, mainly from enemy or other countries. Over one-third of the .Reich's total fat supplies are now quite inaccessible. Most severe restrictions have been imposed on the textile industry. In 1938 three-quarters of the total supply of textile raw materials came from abroad. Now much of this is cut off. The Outstanding Problem The outstanding problem which faces the directors of the German economy arises from the fact that Germany is dependent upon imports for two-thirds of her total annual consumption of iron ore. This fact dominates the whole situation in the heavy industry. Statistics which the Economist then gives show that Germany obtained 79 per cent of her imports of iron ore in 1938 from Sweden, Norway, Luxembourg and Spain, and 21 per cent from France. The position of the German pig iron and. steel production is no better Furthermore, it is pointed out that the Saar output of pig iron and steel, which represented J 1.4 per cent and 9.8 per cent respectively of the total in 1938 has been lost, at least temporarily, owing to the fortunes of war. Synthetic Textiles Germany planned to make an appreciable increase in her output of synthetic textile fibres. Tho output of rayon which was G5,000 tons in 1938, is to be 80,000 tons in 1939-40. The output of artificial wool, which was 150,00Q tons in 1938, is to be doubled in 1939-40. Even if this is done there will be a shortage of over 50 per cent compared with tho total supplies available last year.

Thore is a drive to grow moro food. An inorcaso of 25 per cent in potato production is aimed at for next year. Hitherto Germany's successes in agricultural self-sufficiency depended largely oil a very high consumption of fertilisers. It has now been decreed that the total consumption of fertilisers must be reduced to tho level of 1936-37. Compared with 1938-39, this is roughly a decrease of 17 per cent. During tho Great War tho consumption oi fertilisers decreased by roughly 50 per cent, with disastrous results. VON PAPEN'S MISSION ANGORA, Oct. 27 The return to Germany of the German Ambassador to Turkey, Herr von Page a j lias been postponed indefinitely,