EMPIRE RESOURCES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 December 1939, Page 5

EMPIRE RESOURCES

AMERICAN SCIENTIST’S SURVEY EXPANSION SINCE 1914. REPLY TO BELITTLEMENT BY GERMANY. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 21. Forcible refutation of the often-re-peated German belittlement of the part Britain's Empire can play in the present struggle is given by a leading American political scientist in the journal, “New York Nation.” The writer points out that the industrial capacity of the Dominions has increased 60 per cent since 1914. and in the Empire as whole probably 300 to 500 per cent. This is particularly noticeable in the case of minerals. In 1914 the Empire produced only 100,000 tons of asbestos, while in 1937 500,000 tons were produced. The output of nickel in 1914 was insignificant, while now 77 per cent of the world’s supply comes from Canada. Tungsten production in 1914 was practically none, while 70,000 tons were produced in 1937. Total mineral resources are practically inexhaustible. The writer further says that access to these resources is not barred by’ gold or foreign exchange shortage, since sterling is the basis of all Empire currencies. A decline of sterling would not affect the value within the Empire, Finally, Britain holds some £2,000,000,000 worth of Imperial securities usable in payment.