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Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 December 1938, Page 9

■>F HAW MATERIALS. > ,'E RESERVES IN STORE. -- • I Germany’s capacity for waging war depends next to the supply of military equipment, upon the storage of raw materials which in peace-time must be imported and in war-time might not be obtainable, says the “Manchester Guardian.” An expert correspondent makes an estimate of the quantities of raw materials which the German authorities appear to have put by for an emergency. He concludes that in the event of war present stocks would make Germany independent of foreign supplies of most important commodities for at least one year. Germany imports and consumption of raw materials, writes the correspondent, have been strictly controlled since early in 1934. The use of many commodities in civilian industries has been either prohibited or severely restricted. At the same time the domestic resources of grown and mined commodities have been more widely developed, especially since the. introduction of the four-year plan, and industry was compelled to make use of the newlydeveloped substitute and synthetic products. All this should have allowed Germany to reduce imports from abroad considerably, and that was indeed the reason publicly advanced for the restrictive measures. INCREASE OF IMPORTS. Actually German imports of nearly all raw materials have been continuously increased since 1933. The various international commodity statistics set imports (plus domestic output) equal to consumption, disregarding the question of storage. A close study of German requirements both for internal use and for exports suggests that in every year since 1933 much more has been imported than could possibly have, been used. If consumption is estimated at the highest possible rate, allowing for the present full employment of industry, and set off against total supplies (imports plus internal production) between 1933 and 1937, it is possible to venture a rough guess that at the end of last year Germany had accumulated reserves which, in the case of base metals, would cover current requirements for more than one year, and in steel alloys for over 18 months. Iron ore must have been in hand for some 15 months’ needs, and rubber for a year. Oil reserves were smaller, and so were stocks of textile materials, especially cotton; but in these commodities synthetic production is well advanced. BUILDING UP RESERVES. These reserves seem to have been regarded as insufficient. During the current year Germany has again imported more than last year, although internal consumption was further restricted by more stringent regulations. The following table shows Germany’s retained imports of the most important commodities: — (In metric tons) ( Seven months 1 1938 1937

PROGRESSIVE EXPANSION. Few comments are needed to explain these figures. In comparing imports of industrial raw materials during the two periods it should be remembered that last year’s purchases were already very much greater than those of a year earlier. The smaller imports of wheat and rye’ are due to better harvests, while the reduction of rubber purchases is the result of increasing domestic supplies of synthetic rubber, which are scheduled to reach 20,000 tons a year in 1939. Altogether the country’s reserve stocks must have been considerably'increased since the end of last year, and it would seem to be a cautious estimate to say that in the event of a war the Reich would be well supplied with most raw materials for at least one year.

Wheat 574,979 824,906 Rye 32,335 141,027 Barley 252,715 143,533 Coffee 110,413 103,859 Tea 2,736 2,890 Wool 119,243 82,557 Cotton 208,273 181,396 Textile waste 33,466 31,642 Pig Iron *80,163 112,008 Iron Ore 12,506,342 11,120,051 Manganese ore .... 295,111 280,635 Copper 186,891 147,408 Copper ore 380,901 312,749 Lead 28,211 50,580 Lead ore 81,219 57,482 Zinc 3,358 5,346 Zinc ore 91,811 42,684 Tin 6,718 5,973 Other base metals 5,180 2,147 Chrome ore 78,948 69,945 Nickel ore 16,658 11,280 Other ores 57,642 47,638 Bauxite 609,122 584,480 Crude oil and tai’ 703,721 619,448 Petrol and lubricating oil 1,808,588 1,622,878 Technical oils and fats 110,450 92,881 Rubber 67.358 72.787 *Net imports. tNet exports.