MANY TARGETS

Evening Star, Issue 23697, 3 October 1940, Page 9

MANY TARGETS

R.A.F. RAIDS ON GERMANY BERLIN VISITED AGAIN MUNITION FACTORY ATTACKED (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, October 2. (Received October 3, at 10 a.m.) An Air Ministry communique states : “ Last night strong forces of R.A.F. bombers attacked u munition factory in Berlin, electric power stations at Duisburg and Cologne, and oil plants at Stcrkrad, Holten, Gelsenkirchen, and Cologne.” TUESDAY NIGHT'S RAID " A MOST COMFORTABLE TRIP " (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 2. (Received October 3, at 1.15 p.m.) Recounting his share of Tuesday night’s raid on Berlin, an R.A.F. bomber pilot said: “This was the fourth time I had been over Berlin, and it was the most comfortable trip of all. The night was ideal for bombing, but there were large concentrations of searchlights, apparently co-operating with fighters. At one point we were held by 15 searchlights. However, we did not encounter any fighters and managed to dive out of the lights. After that wo had very little trouble. There were thin patches of cloud and we had to wait for them to part. We did two dummy runs over a factory, then turned round, and going in the third time did a shallow dive and dropped our bombs. The rear gunner counted four terrific explosions. The lights and explosions reached up to the aircraft, although we were flying at 10,000 ft, I could see the wings quite clearly.” DAMAGE BY R.A.F. ADMITTED OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM BERLIN LONDON, October 2. (Received October 3, at 11.40 a.m.) A German communique states: The enemy attacked towns in Western Germany. Fires were caused, and there was severe damage to dwellings. Other planes flew .to Northern Germany, but were prevented from reaching Berlin by anti-aircraft guns. Several incendiaries and high explosives were dropped on brickworks east of Berlin. Another official German statement admits that the R.A.F. damaged military in addition to civil objectives in Berlin. AXIS DOMINATION POSITION IN RUMANIA GERMAN MAYORS APPOINTED LONDON, October 1. The appointment of new gauleiters in Transylvania and Banat and German mayors and vice-mayors in 12 important towns provides the latest evidence of Rumania’s Germanisation. The appointments followed a cordial talk between M. Schmidt, the minority loader, and M. Horiasima, the Vice-Premier. Italian and Gorman pilots are taking over the training of the Rumanian air force. Many Italians have recently arrived in Rumania. SOUTHERN DOBRUJA AXIS DIPLOMACY ACTIVE LONDON, October 2. The Bulgarian Army to-day completed the occupation of Southern Dobruja. The Mayor of Sofia is renaming three streets Hitler, Mussolini, and Victor Emmanuel as a token of gratitude for Axis assistance. The Press is increasingly pro-Ger-man and Axis diplomacy is most active, insisting that only Axis support will gain Bulgaria an outlet to the o-Egcan. AXIS LEADERS SEVERAL HOURS IN SHELTER STOCKHOLM, October 1. The ‘ At’tonbladet’s ' Berlin correspondent reports that Goebbels and Roberto Farinaeci were caught in an air raid last night and were forced to spend several hours in shelter. DENMARK'S INDEPENDENCE PARLIAMENT'S MAIN TASK COPENHAGEN. October 2. The Prime Minister, Dr Sfauning. in a speech in Parliament, said: “ One task overshadows everything—securing Denmark’s independence and conserving the people’s liberty. Parliament is rallying to tins cause and wilj do the iob.”

EGONOMIG WARFARE REMARKABLE SUCCESS OF BLOCKADE ENEMY DEFICIENCIES IN KEY COMMODITIES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 2. (Received October 3, at 11 a.m.) Mr Hugh Dalton (Minister of Economic Warfare) spoke of the successful work of his department to-day when addressing the National Defence Public Interests Committee. The blockade, he said, had achieved remarkable success in the first year of the war. Both Germany and Italy were seriously deficient in such key commodities as oil, ferro alloys, rubber, lead, copper, and textiles, without which it was impossible to carry on a modern war. Although Germany had benefited by the loot she had obtained from conquered territory, that advantage was only temporary and was offset by the

loss of substantial imports formerly received from occupied countries, which wore now subject to the blockade. The stocks thus seized, though larger than ho liked, were not large enough and would add no more than some months’ supply to the enemy’s resources. Speaking of surpluses, the Minister said he was sure certain neutral countries would understand that it was contrary both to their own interests and the policy of the British Government that they should accumulate largo stocks of goods needed by the enemy. He added that a committee of Ministers had completed an exhaustive survey of the principal areas alfectcd and also of the principal commodities of which largo surpluses exist. “ The lines of the policy to be pursued are clear,” he said. “To succeed fully they require the effective co-operation of a number of countries, notably the British Commonwealth, the United States, and the Latin American republics. I see it as a development of the beginning of economic planning on a world-wide scale. How much more hopeful such a prospect seems than all the futile fantasies of Dr Funk.” Speaking of oil supplies, which ho described as a key commodity, Mr Dalton reminded his audience that the German war effort in 1918 died out when the supplies had fallen to 1,000,UOO tons. To-day’s powerful, highly-integrated but brittle Nazi economy would have a much higher die-out figure. Mr Dalton added that his experts told him that the Germans had now nearly exhausted tho oil stocks that they captured in the occupied territories. Outlining the food situation, the Minister said that in Europe there would be no famine this winter. There was enough food to go round if it was properly shared out. Although he had given much thought to tho subject and had had tho benefit of much expert advice, he had been unable to discover a satisfactory watertight scheme of guarantees against food imports into any part of enslaved Europe finding their way into Nazi hands. The proposal to relax tho blockade seemed to him exceedingly untimely.

Air Dalton added; "Night after night German airmen scatter bombs, many indiscriminately, over London and other parts of our country. They return after killing many of our women and children to enjoy excellent breakfasts in tho German air force messes, just across the channel in occupied Franco, Belgium, and Holland. They feed on food stolen from the French, Belgians, and Dutch. Why should wo put more food into the occupied countries for them to steal? Why should we, fighting for our lives and still exercising command of the sea routes, bo expected' to provide better meals for these Nazi fly-by-nights? ” COMPULSORY LABOUR SERVICE QUISLING GOVERNMENT’S EDICT OSLO, October 2. (Received October 3, at 10 a.m.) it is officially announced that compulsory labour service is being introduced in Norway next spring. The decree formally gives Quisling’s governing council all the authority previously held by King Haakon and Parliament. CANADIAN WAR CONTRACTS WARNING AGAINST POACHING EMPLOYEES OTTAWA, October 2. (Received October 3, at 9.35 a.m.) The Labour Minister, Mr M'Larty, warned industries engaged on war contracts to cease poaching one another’s employees. He threatened Government action.