But in later centuries industrializa~ tion of the country took place, and with it, the farming and fishing in Gustries, on which the British fore father had founded their greatness, went into a decline. Moreover, as industrial' zones have been localized through economic consideration Yaw materials and nel-power, about 20,000,000 acres of farm land have fallen Into disuse. On the contrary, Britain prefers to buy foodstuls abroad.
In the days in 1917 when the German submarines were achieving thei most effective results, there were the whole United Kingdom stocks foodstuffs sullicient for only six weeks. Lloyd George alone. among the whole army of British officials not turn pale, according to. the! American, Admiral Sim: problem in Britain today seems to} Femain as unsatisfactory as it was in those critical days.
Man-power Pactor The second factor that works for the Berlin-Rome axis is man-power—sch a man-power that can relied on for national defence is the population of the home country. "In Comparing fighting strength between Britain and France on the one hand and Germany and Holy on the other, the first thing to note is that Gor-many's population of now over (000,000 rivals the combined strength of Britain and France, and if Italy's population fs added, it exceeds 120,- 000,000, If the man-power of Britain and France is superior to that of Germany and Italy in quality, it eer~ tainly is on their credit side; but Who can assert whether that or not?
The third factor that works in the interests of Germany and Italy is the food question. Britain is dependent on food supplies from overseas. In Japan, when our Empire was founded, our forefathers found it good to eat lee and Ash.
In sharp contrast to this is the state of affairs in Germany. Though Ger~ many suffered long months and years of destitution during the world war, her people have been resolute enough to rehabilitate their nation, and that work has been more conspicuously carried on since Fuehrer Hitler came Into administrative power, seems that Hitler has laid special stress on training and preparing his people to cope with the situation that would arise if Germany were blockaded. During the world war the Germans suffered most from Tack of fats.
Germany now seems to have secured an adequate supply of butter, fas a result of strengthening her trade relations with "Manchoukwo, which became the basis of the' Japan-German-Manchoukuo entente, "Tt was the beans that grow so abundantly in Manchoukuo that attracted the attention of Germany. She saw in them material for a fine and vital substitute for natural butter, them we owe our present happy state of self-supply of our daily food, though we are engaged in a big war China, We are not self-supporting in some. other commodities, but in foodstuffs we are more than self stifleient, We are an endowed nation in this respect. No economic blockade can harm us. the world war Germany The German people were made to use it, though at first they did not care for it much on account of the different taste. Soon, however, they became accustomed fo it. while on the other hand constant research has made the product more palatable. The result is that at present this bean-butter is widely used in Ger-mun households, was ina far worse ease than we are now, specially as regards food. Nevertheless the German people inst their hardships for as Toni, as four years, combatting nearly the whole world.
Germany Then Better When the crisis took place in Europe last. year over the Czechoslovakia question, it was Germany, and sot Britain, which was in the better position to go to war. No one can soy otherwise. Undoubtedly the German army is formidable, but in air strength also Germany is far ahead of Britain and France—a fact made clear even in Colonel Lind borgh's report.
'Then what about, naval strength 'The German navy's reconstruction, for new defence, was started two years ahead of Britain's, and thanks {to that, Germany today' possesses a navy superior to Britain's in quality, though Inferior in quantity.
Wheat Cultivation in Italy couragement by Premier Mus-In Ttaly, as a result of special en
Solin}, the cultivation of wheat is Fapidiy expanding, in both. acreage fand yield. As the Talians. consume more wheat than other peoples, this measure taken by Mussolint is quite satura Taken altogether, Germany and Italy seem today to be better off than. Britain and France in the matter of preparing foodstuffs for consumption, in time of emergency.
From the strategical point of view, Britain ard France are in a disudvantageous situation, and this can be counted as their fourth weakness Yisdevis Germany and Moly. In the first place, control of the North Sea) by the British navy is not perfect. The British people apparently think they had effective contro! of the North Sea during the world war, but that was not the case.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.