FORCED LABOUR

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 14, 22 May 1939, Page 3

FORCED LABOUR

o DRASTIC NAZI DECREE WIDENING KIEL CANAL The whole German nation is reduced to virtual slavery by the most sweeping decree yet issued by the Nazi Government, says the Berlin, correspondent of the News Chronicle. By this decree put into force by Field Marshal Goering, every citizen of the Third Reich of however high or low degree may be forced by the National Labour Office, or its branches throughout the country, to quit any position held and perform, whatever task they may appoint. Whereas, by the limited decree of June 23 1938. Goering insisted that the worker -should get at least the casme wages in the new as in the old job, now a worker Avill get only the ordinary pay for the job he is set to do. Thus, a High Court judge could be put to digging sewers at 4d an hour, or a research scientist t<o filling sandbags at 2s a bag. THREAT TO FOUR-YEAR PLAN Firms must immediately release any man aswed for by the Labour. Office. On the other hand, it is impossible for a man to change his job without previous consent of the Labour Office. The object of this is to prevent competition among employers for workers. Such competition due to the present labour shortage has led to a tendency for wages to rise which, jf continued, would wreck the whole of the Four Year Plan and the Nazi economic system. The new decree may be connected with the vast scheme for the widening of the Kiel Canal, also announced to-day. j The canal is to be made the widest canal in the world, with the possible exception of the Panama. And where as it took seven years to widen the cann] to its present) size under Kaiser Wilhelm it is ex peetcd by concentrating vast numbers of forced labourers on the job to have it ready in two years. Work on the canal is given precedence, as of urgent national importance, under the new dccree.