Czechs Completing Nationalisation Scheme

Grey River Argus, 2 September 1948, Page 8

Czechs Completing Nationalisation Scheme

(From Sydney Brookes, Reuter’s Correspondent). . PRAGUE (By Airmail)

While individual industries continue to report that holidays are cutting production and shortages of raw. materials are hampering the fulfillment of production quotas under the (wo-year plan, the Czechoslovak Government is this month completing the taking over of some 4300 industrial firms. Reporting on the position early in August, M. August Kliment, the Minister for Industry, stated that the first stage of the Nationalisation Programme comprising the amalgamation into eleven central managements, of 1300 private organisations had been completed. Of the 2700 industrial plants to be taken over in the second stage of the programme, 2200 have already been brought under national control. To deal with these, the Government had established 42 “National Enterprises,” twelve for the textile industry, nine for timber and paper, eight for ceramics, six for glass, four for metal, two for chemicals, and one for mining. The Minister said that over all there were now 271 national enterprises, embracing 93 per cent, of Czechoslovakia’s industry. Some of the remainder were controlled by local authorities or co-operative organisations ancl some smaller ones were left to private enterprise. In a break-down of the nationalised plants, the Prague Economic Weekly “Hospodar” gave the following information: In the first period of nationalisation • the State took over 45 sugar factories, 40 spirit refineries, 19 mills, eight breweries, six confectionary factories, five margarine factories. In the new period of nationalisation under the law of May, 1948, the State is taking over 446 spirit factories, 29 spirit refineries, 128 breweries, 25 malting houses, 27 dairies, eight margarine factories, 46 vinegar refineries, 31 starch factories, 118 wine distilleries, 35 fruit wine distilleries, 13 silicate factories, five freezing works, 193 mills, four pastry factories, 15 bakeries, 54 meat processing plants, 15 red pepper mills, 103 miscellaneous plants, 23 sugar factories. Industrial production, however, continues to be hampered by manpower difficulties and shortages of raw materials. Last month, Government spokesmen, taking their cue from the Prime Minister, M. Antonin Zaoptocky, opened a campaign of criticism designed to spur industry and labour to greater production. Labour was condemned for sloth,, industry for inefficiency. In disguished replies to criticism, industry has since been making opportunities for listing its difficulties. A factory against which a charge of low output had been made, replied, for example, with complaints against other factories said to have supplied defective components, or to have failed to supply their quota of components.

In the latest collection of complaints, the correspondent in Ostrava of the official Czechoslovakia News Agency, C.T.K. reported that while output in coal mining, coking, and production of electric power has been satisfactory there is still insufficient manpower. The mines have been losing older miners and the only replacements have come from voluntary working brigades, working for short periods—and presumably producing less. Some industries report insufficient ball bearings and lack of certain materials required for the electricity industry. At the same time, the correspondent stated that the import of raw. materials had been normal. He blamed heavy Anglo-American purchases of manganese for a local shortage. One factor which contributed to a production failure at the tube works of Bohumin, he declared ,was that steel scrap was found to contain explosives. Production at the Bohumin Tube Works in July was only 50 per cent, of that planned. Another reason for low output is said to be the holidays. The same correspondent emphasised that the Tatra motorcar works in Kqprivnice closed down for three weeks’ holiday in spite of the requirements of the plan. In July this works produced only 38 per cent, of its quota in motor-cars, 15 per cent, in lorries, and 51 per cent, in spare parts. A rolling stock factory failed to produce a single railway .truck Op outocar, and work already started remained unfinished because of workers’ holidays and lack of electrical parts. The chemical, ceramic, and textile industries all complained of lack of manpower.