SPECTRE OF FAMINE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1940, Page 5

SPECTRE OF FAMINE

HANGING OVER EUROPE GERMANY IN EXTREMELY BAD POSITION. DISORGANISATION OF SUPPLY SOURCES. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. I.ONDON, June 25. It is authoritatively stated that Germany’s food situation is far more serious than was believed likely at the outbreak of war, when it was generally considered that a breakdown in supplies could not be expected within two years. A collapse is now thought to be far nearer.

Recent reports indicate the possibility of a condition approaching famine in Europe next winter. Germany specially faces the prospect of a severe shortage of food and feeding stuffs. The severe weather resulted in a heavy killing of stock and frost damaged a large proportion of the potato stocks and also green vegetables. Eggs are very scarce. The inadequacy of the spring tilling was accentuated by a shortage of skilled labour and draught animals. Urgently required imports were interrupted by ice in the Baltic and on the Danube and heavy flooding damaged growing crops. Other detrimental factors include bad harvest prospects, disappointing supplies of feeding stuffs from Russia, a worsening of the labour shortage, a scarcity of fertilisers and live stock diseases.

Germany cannot expect much from Scandinavia and the Low Countries. Denmark and Holland may be selfsupporting on a greatly reduced standard of living, but Belgium, and Norway require considerable contributions from Germany, which has lost important channels through which she obtained food and feeding stuffs. _ Germany will have sufficient bread and grain to maintain the present rations even if the harvest is very bad. Reserves will be adequate for at least a year, but the feeding stuff position may cause an emergency slaughter of pigs, which account for more than 60 per cent of the meat consumption.