Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1940. A BLOCKADE THAT CONTINUES.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 September 1940, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1940. A BLOCKADE THAT CONTINUES.

ACCORDING to Nazi propagandists, the British blockade of Germany is broken and has been replaced by a German blockade of Britain —the blockade that Hitler has formally declared. Preposterous as these claims are to those who are in touch with the total facts of the war, and who understand what the British Navy is doing to keep open the trade routes of the world to Britain, and to friendly nations and to close them to the enemy powers, they no doubt gain a certain amount of credence in parts of Continental. Europe. By their land conquests, the Nazis manifestly have altered considerably in some respects the economic conditions that existed previously. Almost the whole of the continent, with the exception of liussia, is now under their s\yay and they have thus not only gained access to additional supplies of metals, food and other vital commodities, but have cut off a good deal of trade between Britain and the mainland of Europe. Britain is now under the necessity of obtaining elsewhere, or doing without, substantial quantities of dairy produce, meat, wood pulp, and other goods she has been accustomed to import from Scandinavia or from sources elsewhere in Europe. The immediate advantage gained by the Nazis is the greater since the methods they pursue in their economic exploitation of conquered or dominated countries are essentially predatory and entirely unscrupulous. They do not allow themselves to be troubled in any way by the question of making a fair return for what they obtain from countries under their control. Neither do they concern themselves over the maintenance of supplies that will enable these countries to feed their populations and in other ways sustain their industries and national economy. For the time being a great part of Europe is, from the standpoint of the Nazis, a magazine of supplies from which they feel themselves entirely free to draw all that they can lay their hands upon. So far, Nazi Germany, by its own base standards, has something to congratulate itself upon. Even from the Nazi standpoint, however, the position already has its overshadowing features of weakness and of retribution in store. None are better aware than Hitler and his fellow-gangsters that talk of a German blockade of Britain is nonsense, and that the British blockade of Germany, and now of much the larger part of Europe, is as much as ever a commanding reality. Germany has ent off Brit ish trade with Europe—trade that reached, until recently, an important volume —but Britain continues to cut off from commercial contact with the rest of the world, not only Germany, but the total European area under her domination. Britain is well able to obtain elsewhere, though with a greater call on her shipping resources, all that is essential of the supplies she has been accustomed to import from Europe. Some of these imports she can quite well do without. For instance her imports from and exports to France in 1938 were both valued at upwards of £23,000,000. While, however, Britain exported to France mainly coal, machinery and woollen goods, her imports from France consisted mainly of luxuries and wines. No great hardship will be entailed in dispensing with these imports for the time being. The problem confronting Hitler is, as an oversea writer observed recently, that the extensive European area he dominates

is even less self-sufficient than was Germany before the offensive against Western Europe. These countries were dependent upon non-European supplies of foods and fodder and upon vegetable oils and oil seeds and since 1935 have imported 2,830,000 tons of these materials. The pillaging of stock and the slaughtering of animals in the occupied territories, as well as the decline in this year’s harvest because of war damage and the withdrawal of manpower, will also show their effects in the coming autumn. . . . France, like Italy, was not self-sufficient. France could only supply two-thirds of its coal demands and Germany will have to supply it with 25,000,000 tons annually if its industries are to avoid dislocation. .. . However much propaganda the Nazis may seek to make out of the new slogan of a blockaded Britain, they know that a non self-sufficient Europe must have access to supplies of foodstuffs, raw materials and oil outside its own borders. In other words, it must extend its conquests to Africa and the Middle East. But at the moment such a policy is halted by the presence of the British Fleet. In addition, the new method of economic warfare through control of raw materials at the source will not enable Germany and Italy to get the necessary supplies even if they are able to evade the blockade and have the necessary foreign exchange. Tn the conditions that exist and will not. be altered in essentials while the British Navy retains its command of the sea, both primary and secondary industries in German-controlled Europe are being disastrously undermined and disorganised. For a time the Nazi policy of plunder may make it possible to modify within the Reich itself the worst effects of this developing state of affairs. Even now, however, Germany is faced by mounting problems of management and control in the extensive areas she has invaded. These problems must be intensified sharply in the comparatively near future and while they open dark and terrible prospects for the people of the subjugated territories, they directly threaten also the foundations of Nazi military strength. All that is being done by British bombing squadrons to destroy war establishments, resources and supplies of every kind in enemy and occupied territory of course supplements and intensifies the progressively strangling effect of the continuing British blockade. IN THE MIDDLE EAST. J?OLLOWING hard on the news of the great naval sweep through the Mediterranean, in which British forces vainly endeavoured to induce the Italian battle fleet to leave its fortified harbours, comes the news that great convoys of ships conveying men and war materials from England, Rhodesia, India and Australia have arrived in Egyptian waters. A notable addition has thus been made to the continuous stream of reinforcements which the British Prime Minister (Mr Churchill) stated hast week had been sent to the Middle East. Better proof could not be given than in the strengthening of naval, air and land forces in the Mediterranean and the Middle East that Britain is prepared to cope in no timid fashion with any new developments that may arise in the war. Something more may be implied than a determination to take vigorous action against Italy. It is possible at least that provision is being made against a more or less formidable German reinforcement of Italy. Whether Germany will venture upon a policy of military adventure in the Middle East, locked as she is in a death-grapple with Britain, is an open question. Conceivably, however, she may attempt something of the kind as the approach 'of winter sets limits to air and other operations in ’Western Europe. There arc great prizes to be striven for—amongst them the oil pipe lines to Palestine, the Suez Canal and command of African territory—but for the- Axis Powers the problem of access to these objectives is formidable. It does not seem likely at present that Germany will invite a collision with Russia and with Turkey by attempting to force a passage through the Balkans and the alternative of endeavouring to convey men and materials by sea from Italy to Libya, or to other African territories fronting the Mediterranean, cannot be very attractive from the enemy point of view. Germany nevertheless may feel it essential that a purposeful effort should be made io stiffen and strengthen the Italians, who seem unlikely to accomplish much on their own account, in an attack on Egypt or in any other way. Whatever the enemy plans may be, Britain is giving suggestive proof of her readiness to take whatever action may seem desirable and advantageous in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Incidentally, in the fact that the troops sent from England to the Middle East are largely men who had fought in France, there is evidence of full confidence in the provision made for the defence of the United Kingdom against any invasion Germany may attempt,