CRUDE MATERIAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24419, 3 October 1940, Page 11

CRUDE MATERIAL

NAZI PROPAGANDA “A CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT ” (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Sept. 30. Students who mine in the extensive tortuous shafts of Nazi propaganda are occasionally rewarded for their barren toil on masses of crude material by striking a rich vein of irony. As recently as September 26 the Deutschland Sender had this piece of welcome intelligence for the Germans. who have had to go for a long time without their favourite beverage: “ The commercial co-operation of Continental States, which during this war has still further increased, has made it possible for large amounts of coffee to be delivered to Germany.” That “commercial co-operation.” which “ increased ” as the German armies spreac. devastation and as Germafi occupation oppressed and plundered the trade and manufactures of the territories Germany has attacked and seized, is a sufficiently unroarious example of sly humour, but its quality is improved when it’s put into juxtaposition with earlier broadcasts, which contained an explanation of how the new “ commercial co-operation works. On September 7 the radir in Paris had a rather different announcement for the delectation of French listeners. “A new chapter has beer opened in the history of coffee in France. According to a decree in the official journal, grocers will be able to sell only the “ new mixture ” coffee, onethird of which will be pure coffee and two-thirds certain sweet products.”

The Danes learnt of their part in the co-operative effort O’ September 18, when it broadcast that “the Press Secretariat of Ministries announced that from October 1 the monthly coffee ration will be decreased from 250 to 125 g: amines.’ Four days later from Oslo came a notice to Norwegians: “ The Administrative Council has decided to decrease the coffee ration on ordinary coupons from 80 to 60 grammes.”