Evening star., 1940-04-01
Britain and France
Ready 10 Tighten
Blockade Strings
Details Of London Pact
Being Worked Out by
Economic War Ministries
BY PERTINAX.

Economic War Ministries
By PERTINAx.
PARIS, April l (NANA. BY
Radio).-The sixth session of the
Anglo-French Supreme War Coun-
Gil, held in London last week, is of
capital Importance for two seasons.
First, Prime Minister Chamberlain
and Premier Reynaud have finally
frightened and made practically
permanent the bond Of Franco
British alliance
The feature to be emphasized
above all is that, contrary to the
conceptions which obtained in 1919
and at the Paris Peace Conference,
the re-establishment of European
peace is no longer regarded in Paris
and London as an undertaking to
be carried out merely by drafting
a treaty and compelling the van
pushed enemy to agree to its
articles, but as slow process of re-
construction likely to require many
years of hard work and the con-
tlnuous assertion of Frances and
Great Britain's military power.
Meshes to Be Drawn Closer.
Second, both Mr.. Chamberlain
and M. Reynaud, diverting their
attention from what win have to
be done once the German Army has
been defeated to what must be
achieved now to cut off Germany
as far as possible from the outside
world, have decided in principle
that the net thrown around Ger
many's imports will have to be ex-
tended to zones which hitherto have
kept immune to it, and that in ad-
dition the meshes Of the net are to
be drawn closer.
OF course, all problems of detail
have been referred for elucidation
to the Ministry of Economic War;
fare In London and to the Ministry
of Blockade in Paris. But the prin-
ciple of understanding of both gov
ernments already can be regarded
as an accomplished fact.
Concerning the inclusion in the
Anglo-French naval control of the
geographic zones left untouched
action already has been taken by
the British Navy in Scandinavian
waters, according to press reports.
After the German supply ship Alt
mark was boarded it seemed to be
impending. But it had been post
poned because the projected expedi-
ton to Finland promised to yield
results of the same kind and much
more complete.
We are only at the beginning of
an offensive against the transport
of Swedish iron ore to Germany,
the ulterior developments of which
cannot be foreseen. So much for
the iron ore in Northern Europe.
Rumania's Surplus at Stake.
The attention of the allies is
directed also to the oil supplies Ger
many obtains or intends to obtain
from Rumania and Russia. For the
time being Rumania's exportable
surplus of 100000 tons, the delivery
of which Germany has obtained by
contract, is at stake Most of the
Rumanian oil companies have been
built with British and French capi-
tai. Every conceivable step will be
taken to prevent even part of their
output from falling into German
hands Ind to make sure that even
the invasion of that country by
Germany would not enable her to
increase her supplies.
AS to Russia it is still doubtful
when and to what extent the con-
tribution of her oil fields to the
Reich's economy will materialize
Nevertheless, were Caucasian oil to
be carried across the Black Sea
the probabilities are that the west
ern powers would not be caught
unaware.
The whole problem for them lies
in the Interpretation placed by Tur-
key upon the treaty of Monteux con-
cerning the opening of the straits
to foreign ships. I shall refer only
briefly to the German plan in re-
gard to the use to be made of Vladi-
vostok to obtain, by means of the
Trans-Siberian Railroad, raw ma
terials of all description bought in
the Far East and even in the
United States. The matter has not
been threshed out.
Old System May BE Revived.
As for making the network Of the
glo-French blockade more effec-
tive. all indications point to the
early adoption of the so-called sys-
tenn which was gradually built up
in 19l4-18. Since September the
British and French naval authori-
ties have been content to ascer-
tain in each case whether the buyer
in neutral country of goods car
ried by neutral ship could be
trusted not to send them to Ger
many and whether the commercial
transaction could be trusted to be
made bona 'fide, or whether the
hand of Germany could be detected
in the background.
1t cannot be denied that after
seven months of experiment. such a
system has proved unsatisfactory.
Germany has received much help
from it. Anyhow. stocks of raw ma
terials are being accumulated in
neutral countries which are in ex-
cess of their national requirements,
and in one way or another are bound
to come within the orbit Of the
Reich.