Smyrna times., 1941-08-14
NAZIS A BAR TO
FOODN EUROPE
Subdued States Could Feed
Selves If Permitted,
Expert Declares
GERMANY NEEDS FATS

WAodlNG lON. = a report pre-
pared by DR.. Frederick Strauss,
economist of the agriculture depart
ment. gives facts and figures to
show that the conquered nations of
Europe could feed themselves under
war conditions if permitted.
But Germany. which now needs
fats and will be hard put to maintain
her meat ration in the future, is not
permitting them to do this. Instead
she is taking food and transporta-
ton facilities from them for her own
needs and gearing their economies
to the requirements of the Nazi war
machine.
Germany's intensive preparations
for war between 1884 and 1899 had
only partial success as far as the
food problem went, according to DR..
Strauss report. The changing over
of the peoples food habits to fit ex-
pected wartime supplies was more
successful than the attempt to ex-
pand farm production. The soil is
considerably depleted of phosphate
content. There is an acute shortage
of farm labor; farm machinery can
not be fully utilized because of the
shortage of gasoline.
Danube Supplies Small.
The Nazis will have enough bread,
potatoes and sugar from their do
mestic production for next year at
least, according to DR.. Strauss. But
they are beginning to need fats to-
day and may need meat soon.
From the Danubian countries Ger
many got less than she expected
this year. Only in Bessarabia were
harvests favorable-and Bessarabia
was taken by Russia. At any rate,
normally the Danubian basin can
furnish only bread and feed grains,
small quantities of fruits and ami
NAL products.
The Soviet Union is more of
mystery. But it cannot offer much
food, the report makes clear, unless
it is willing to deprive its own peo-
pie of needed supplies to feed the
Germans.
The Danes and Norwegians, the
Netherlanders and Belgians and
French, could feed themselves, even
though their markets and sources Of
supply were cut off by the British
blockade, says DR.. Strauss. Their
normally large imports of rye and
wheat, barley, oats and corn, oil
seeds and oilcake, were mostly fed
to their live stock and turned into
export surpluses. Denmark, Nor
way, the Netherlands and Belgium
had prepared for the expected war,
though they had hoped to be able
to remain neutral, by storing large
quantities of food.
Loss of Markets Expected.
They had expected to lose their
overseas markets and thus to have
to slow down their industry. This
would have meant the consumption
of less food than if all were work.
ing. They could have provided their
citizens at least with the German
normal adult" food ration. Even
pre-war production of wheat and
rye, potatoes and sugar beets would
have furnished the five conquered
nations with enough of these essen
tialS.
AS regards meats, no problem
would have arisen during the first
year or two, according to DR..
Strauss, since many cattle and more
hogs would have had to be slaugh-
tered because of diminished feed
supplies.
In Poland only those members of
the Polish ''lower race" working on
essential war industries for Germa-
ny have something like an adequate
diet. The meat supplies taken from
Denmark would have fed the people
of Denmark and Norway combined
for two years. From Norway the
Nazis took fish, butter and even po-
tatoes. Hundreds of carloads of
fresh vegetables have been shipped
to Germany every week from the
Netherlands.