NAZIS IN FRANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 January 1941, Page 5

NAZIS IN FRANCE

THE POLICY OF PLUNDER VICHY TO PAY VICTIMS. I WHILE GERMANY TAKES GOODS. i.Bnush Official Wireless.) RUGBY. January 19, Evidence continues to reach London j showing that the much advertised "collaboration" between France and Germany is a very one-sided affair. I One example is arrangements that have i been made fo compensation to be paid ( to persons whose goods have been re- ! quisitioned by the Germatt army. The rate fixed is generous, but according to a recent decree by the Vichy Finance ' Minister, it is France who pays. Whether the cost of this eompensa- ! lion is reckoned as pan of the immense daily charges which France has to pay : in respect of the Germans’ occupation or whether in exchange for paying out francs the Vichy Government obtains further credit in the recently-produced clearing account, is. not known, but either way the French nation benefits little by the transaction. Those payments to individuals, moveover, have an inflationary effect, since the in-j crease in [honey is not accompanied by ■ an increase in goods. Another instance is the way in which; private safe-deposit boxes are beingj dealt with, Last July, the Germans I ordered all banks to compile lists of these, and forbade their being opened! except tn the presence of a German ! financial authority. Later the Germans announced that boxes must be opened "voluntarily" before January 10, otherwise the authorities would open th.e safes themselves. Reliable reports show that when the safes were opened, all gold, foreign money, and securities and uncut stones were lodged with the bank in the name of the safe-! holder. But they were blocked by the occupying authorities, so that the un-1 fortunate owner has had no possibility of realising his own assets,! which may, however, be of consider-! able value to Germay in the attempts! to increase her supply of foreign ex-1 change resources.