FAMINE AND DISEASE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23322, 4 October 1945, Page 5

FAMINE AND DISEASE

Winter Outlook In Germany Interview With Montgomery By Telegraph —N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (7.30 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 2. “I do not think we can overestimate the difficulties with which we are going to be faced in keeping Germany running this winter,” said Field-Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery giving the first authoritative British version of life in Germany when a guest of the Newspaper Society. The damage to railways and inland water communications was so great that it was extremely difficult to move even stocks of coal and food from one port of the country- to another.” said Sir Bernard. “The key economic problem in the British zone is coal. Unless coal production can be maintained and Increased, nothing can stop Western Germany's economic collapse and famine which will cost many German lives." Sir Bernard Montgomery said he was aiming at a ration of 1500 calories a day compared with the British civilian ration of 2800 calories, but even this standard had not been reached throughout Germany because of the difficulties of distribution. To make meters worse, the German harvest in 19-5 was subnormal. “ T ho only real solution is the import of food into Germany. I want to make it clear that we shall not imnort into Germany any foodstuffs which are in short world supply, if we can help it,” he continued. “It is not part of my plans to pamrer the Germans. They brought this disaster on themselves end must face the consequences. On the other hand. I am not prepared to see widespread famine and disease sweep throughout Europe as it inevitablv must if we allow hundreds of thousands of Germans to die.” Epidemics Increasing "Epidemics are already oh the increase in Germany, and bad housing conditions and meagre rations must this wiptcr lead to a serious increase

■' i pneumonia, virulent influenza and t überculosis.” said Sir Bernard. “Conditions in Berlin are dreadful. The population is already showing signs of starvation. These are hard facts which cannot be disguised. I have always faced facts and I shall not change my meteds now.” Sir Bernard Montgomery revealed that hard worked Military Government courts in the last two months tried no fewer than 8000 cases. “We are indeed up against a grave problem in great crime. Displaced persons are committing many crimes. It is easy to sympathise with displaced persons who were brought to Germany as slave labour and now- find themselves w-ith little to do and old scores to pay off. “The British have made great progress in restarting German education," he continued. "All German children in the British zone, beginning in October, will be receiving at least daily part-time education in spite of the difficulties of getting teachers and providing text bocks." Preliminary investigations had shown that the average German boy and girl of to-day had almost forgotton how to think logically. They could only repeat catchwords and slogans without any idea oi what they really meant. Their standards of knowledge were abysmally low, and many had not been to school for two or three years. Purging Nazis Discussing the de-Naziflcation of Germany, Sir Bernard Montgomery emphasised that the British would not relax efforts to purge the whole German State structure not only of the Nazis but near-Nazis—men who were thought not to be actually members of the Nazi Party but who did well out of it when the going was good and actively supported the party. "But this m e is another serious handicap to our building un an efficient administration because what with the purge. German wartime manpower losses and the fact th-t no young civil servants were trained in Germany in the last six years, the country is left with very few experienced administrators.” Sir Bernard Montgomery added that the British permitted the Germans to form political parties. His policy had b-'on to encourage the local growth of such parties. He said the German people were apathetic and showed little desire to indulge in widespread political activities at a time when their minds were entirely preoccupied with the struggle for existence. Nevertheless, a start had been made in the lone process of re-educating the Germans to think for themselves along genuinely democratic lines. “If I was asked what was my main fear during the coming winter, I would say it is fear of disease, f have more than 20,000,000 people in the British zone, and I doubt very much if they have the power to ward off diseases such as influenza," he concluded.