Germany has the chagrin of seeing how these vital necessities are withheld from her. These deals-are all the more alluring to the Balkans because they are quick, simple and straightforward, and yield sterling, with which raw cotton can be bought from the United States. At present the dearth of cotton is proving an acute impediment to the Balkan textile industries.
England arranges to convoy the ships carrying the cargoes, which Germany cannot do.
The Allies never buy fruit or other perishable commodities.
Only one Allied buyer appears at one place. if the seller hesitates, the buyer disappears and the seller then has no option but to accept a complicated German barter deal, Broken down Asked how Germany financed her foreign trade under blockade conditions, the German industrialist admitted that the blocked-mark method, invented by Dr. Schacht, which was used successfully during the Hitler regime, had now broken down.
Germany must now pay for imports with actual goods. To obtain bank credits or loans from neutral countries is out of the question. Germany is already heavily in debt to these nations, and particularly to Switzerland, where about £100,000000 is involved.
As regards iron ore, Germany's need is so great that a decree, just issued, provides for the demolition of all gas and electric light lampposts, enamel advertising signs and name-plates, showcases, and even iron doors and window shutters,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.