U.S. RELEASES GERMAN WAR PRISONERS

Chronicle (Levin), 12 August 1947, Page 3

U.S. RELEASES GERMAN WAR PRISONERS

BEIIL1X, Augusl 10. The Unitcd States has releasod all Gorman prisoners oi' war and has complctcd the dcstruction of "top priority" milUaiy defence works in the American /.oue of • Genuany, says GcnI'rtil Lucius Clny, in his half-ycarly revicw oi' deinilitarisation. Gcncral Cluy said that all Gorman l>risoners of war held by the l nited States fon-e in Gerniany, the United Btates, or ltaly had been released. Several luindrcd thousand prisoners turned over to Urunce and Britain were now considered to be Freneh or British prisoners, subject to release by France or Britain. General Clav said the authorities are * either destroyiug Gennan war matcrials, or converling tliem lo peacetinie j use; for example, explosives are traus- 1 forined into farm fertilisers. The authorities have deiuilitarised ."JG of tlie 1U,S listed war plants. The revival of Germany's peacetime industry has been so limited that the prospects for the months immediately ahead did not warrant great optiniisiu. Despite war damage and the fact that Gennan industry was living olf its capital for many years, Gerniany 's industrial capacitv was still greator than in 1.036, though reparations removals would all'ect this situation. Xo vigorous industrial expansion eould be expected until considerable progress was made in solving tlie food, coal and tmnsport probleins. The labour shoftage was the worst since' the war.