Evening star., 1939-09-24

., tDhO haze an agreement 1Dith Ru-
ce. The oil 1Dells pictured are at Mo-
near PlOeStt. A. P. Wireph0tos.
own needs. The lack of this metal even-
tually would prove serious to Germany.
Lead creates no major problem, since
she supplies half her own needs and has
been getting most of the remainder from
Yugoslavia-where many of the mines
are under British control-and from
Spain.
The Nazis are we'll on the way to self
sufhciency in zinc production, especially
since they have been expanding their
smelling plants as part Of the general
Reich policy. Most of this smelling for
merly was done in Poland, and Germany
has seized these plants during her Polish
conquest. Export surpluses of zinc have
been produced annually by Poland, Italy,
Yugoslavia, Spain and Sweden.
Hungary and Yugoslavia provide two
thirds of the German aluminium require
ments, her own domestic supply being
scanty. Italy also is source of German
bauxite and aluminium imports.
No Tin Resources.
Germany has no domestic resources
of tin and a blockade would cut her of
from most of her customary sources
British Malays, Netherlands India. Bo-
livia, China. Nigeria and the Belgian
Congo.
The blockade also would cut of most
Of the German supply of nickel, chro-
MUM, tungsten, manganese, molyben-
dunn and vanadium, all essential to the
production of high-grade steels Of the
types Germany must have in almost un-
limited quantities for her mechanical
warfare. Small supplies of low-grade
nickel ore come to her from Grece
Norway and Finland, but 80 per cent of
the world output is Canadian. Germany
has no domestic supply of chromium and
no great reserves. Her principal sources,
not sufficient for her needs, are Yugo-
slavia, Greece. Turkey and Russia Ger
man tungsten has come chiefly from
China and Burma. She has relied for
manganese on imports from the U. S.
S. R., India, the Gold Coast, South Africa
and Brazil. Her antimony deficiencies
have been met partially in Czecho-Slo
vakio and by obtaining concessions in
Yugoslavia, the only other large pro-
ducer in Europe. Over 80 per cent of
her molybendum has come from the
United States; Norway also being small
producer. German sources of vanadium
have been Southwest Africa, Northern
Rhodesia, Peru and the United States
Germany can supply about Is per cent
of her requirements for sulphuric acid
from domestic production of sulphur and
pyrites. Her chief import sources are
Norway, Italy and Spain and lesser sup
plies come from Sweden, Finland and
Yugoslavia.
Mercury Supplies.
Her chief supplies of mercury, from
Italy and Spain, have been cut off for
the present and will depend upon the
Italian decision. When she took over
Austria, Germany acquired the world S
second largest producer of magnesite
and an export surplus of the material.
Her asbestos needs have been filled from
Canada, the U. S. S. r. and Southern
Rhodesia and her supply has been seri-
ously reduced.
As to fertilizers, essential to the con-
centrated production of foodstuffs on a
wartime scale, Germany is pretty well
fixed. She has surplus of potash and
is virtually self SUFFICIENT in synthetically
produced nitrates which render her in
dependent of the former Chilean supply.
She gets phosphates from Russia.
OF the non-metallic, non-mineral raw
materials, Germany probably will feel
most keenly the loss of her rubber i'm
portation. Her plants now produce be-
tween 10000 and 10000 tons of synthetic
rubber annually, but her imports Of raw
rubber have been as large as 10000
tons q year. The nearest sufncient
sources of supply are British Malaga,
Netherlands, India, Ceylon and Siam
The Reich has requisitioned automobile
tires of private owners and has cornered
all other supplies of rubber available.
AL tAAC tCAeAAC AUCI 1lClu NfcIIIlAl1y IL
only Is per cent sef-suficient and only
flax and hemp can be supplied in sufi-
cient quantities by her neighbors, flax
from the Baltic states, Poland and the
U. S. S. R., and hemp from Yugoslavia
and Italy. Cotton, indispensable to her
munitions supply, has come from the
United States. Egypt and India. She de-
pended for wool on the Argentine and
Uruguay, for sisal on East Africa, Mexico
and the Dutch East Indies and for jute
on India, which holds a world monopoly
Timber Shortage.
She is only two-thirds self -sufncient In
timber but can make good the shortage
from her Baltic neighbors.
From the standpoint Of foodstuf1s
Germany, according to the British esti.
mate was % per cent self-sumcient ir
1887. She later took over Austria,
which was mare deficient than herself