REHABILITATION IN GERMANY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23202, 16 May 1945, Page 5

REHABILITATION IN GERMANY

Work Of Occupation Forces (Rec. 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 15. The American occupation forces in Germany are already coping with _ the . problems of material rehabilitation, reports a correspondent. In spite of the lack of clear directives they are acting on the lines of General Eisenhower’s statement, “we come as conquerers, not as oppressors.” Reference to their activities as welfare work is officially forbidden. Both the British and Americans are almost desperately anxious to avoid criticism that they are initiating “a soft peace.” The work they are .already doing includes the distribution to farmers of seed potatoes without which there would be no crop, the decontamination of water supplies, the decontamination of people coming in from areas where typhus has broken out, the reorganisation of factories for the manufacture of soan, shoes, medicines, cloth and lorries. Trades unions have been given authority to organise wherever such action is demanded by conditions. Civilian volunteers are being trained in mine detection. Foresters have been told to resume planting and Wehrmacht hordes have been lent, to farmers. New school books are beingprinted and banks in this area are reopening under the supervision of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Prather, ex-professor of finance, Syracuse University, who is ready firmly to check any tendency toward inflation. New tax systems are being studied and approved. A revival of agriculture is being undertaken to meet the needs of foreign displaced persons as well as Germans and production in the basic industries is being resumed to meet the Allied military and the minimum civilian needs.