LIMIT TO ECONOMIC AID FROM SOVIET

Southland Times, Issue 23945, 11 October 1939, Page 7

LIMIT TO ECONOMIC AID FROM SOVIET

Admission By German Delegation INCREASE IN EXPORTS OF OIL NOT LIKELY (United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Received October 10, 10.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 10. Members of the German economic delegation to Moscow admit that there is not much hope of obtaining substantial Russian aid, says the Moscow correspondent of The New York Times (Mr G. E. R. Gedye). They add that their mis- . sion looks beyond war needs. An increase of oil exports to Germany is possible only at the expense of the third Five-Year Plan and Russia will more than likely be compelled to reduce the proportion of oil products available for export. First grade petrol has been unprocurable in Moscow since mobilization. Russia imports large quantities of first grade aeroplane lubricating oil from the United States.

The mass importation of German overseers and engineers will only slightly increase production because of the incurable obstinacy of Russian workers towards foreign taskmasters.

Russia will certainly be able to supply timber, flax, cotton and manganese, but iron ore and asbestos will be difficult to obtain. The use of sea transport in the Black Sea from Odessa and in the Baltic from Leningrad will not obviate the necessity to use the inadequate railways. The Soviet will probably be able to supply gold in great quantities if Germany is able to pay for it. Summing up, expert neutral opinion is that if the Soviet is prepared to hand over country for exploitation like a German-controlled colony, it might show amazing results in three or four years, but it is problematical whether Germany can extract appreciable aid within the next one or two years.