“DELIVERING THE GOODS”

Evening Star, Issue 23701, 8 October 1940, Page 7

“DELIVERING THE GOODS”

BDMBED FIRMS IN LONDON AREA INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY HARDLY IMPEDED EXPORT ORDERS DISPATCHED ON TIME (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, October 7. (Received October 8, at 10.10 a.m.) The Board of Trade states that if the aim of Hitler and Goering was seriously to impede the commercial and industrial activity of the Greater London area during a month of intensive day and night bombing, it has signally failed. Inquiries addressed by the Board of Trade to member firms of export groups and trade associations in the area give conclusive proof that an overwhelming majority of works engaged in export trade are keeping up full production and are making deliveries to contract time for dispatch to customers overseas.

Even in the most heavily bombed areas works which have been repeatedly hit have been able to adapt themselves quickly to front-line conditions. A typical example is a works in the neighbourhood of the docks, employing 1,200 people. This works has been bombed eight times within three weeks. Every known type of bomb has fallen upon one or other section of the works A big carpenter’s shop, the general stores, a large paint shop, and a metal-working shop were destroyed, so were stocks of raw materials. The principal generator was put out of action, yet the managing director of the company owning the works was able to report only two days after the latest raid that, as a consequence of resourceful organisation, their output was already back to nearly 70 per cent, of normal, and was increasing daily. Another works in the same area reports that within 30 hours of almost total destruction of the premises production for export orders had been transferred under a pre-arranged “shadow plan’’ to another factory in the north, of England and the output was being fully maintained. The London Chamber of Commerce has a membership of some 9,000 firms engaged in every branch of light and heavy industry. Fewer than 20 of those firms have notified the chamber of the necessity to move to temporary addresses owing to damage caused to premises by bombing. All firms continue to “ deliver the goods.” EXPELLED FROM ITALY 1 NEW YORK TIMES ' CORRESPONDENT ROME, Octobei 7 (Received October 8, at 11.35 a m ) Mr Herbert Matthews, chief correspondent of the ‘ New York Times,’ was asked to leave Italy for sending reports “ likely to disturb relations between the Axis and the United States.” It is officially announced that Mr Matthews was expelled because one of his reports “ falsely declared that Italy and Germany would interfere in the United States elections.” QUEEN ELIZABETH A SLIGHT GOLD LONDON, October 7. ( Received October 8, at 9.30 a.m.) The Queen, who bad a slight cold, stayed indoors yesterday as a precaution. The Queen has been indoors for three days. Her Majesty has made good progress, and expects to bo out to-day or to-morrow.