Evening star., 1942-01-11
Axis Motions Foce
Economic Need
BIZ Frederic J. Hdskin.

AS optimism rises and confidence IN
creases among the Allies that they viii
defeat the Axis powers, nothing strength
ems that faith more than the hungry
stomachs and in-clad peoples Of Ger
many, Italy and Japan. These countries
face widespread need of food and cloth
ing. and the peoples Of two of them, Ger
many and Italy, are feeling acutely the
economic effects Of the struggle Japan.
although war-weary because of her long
struggle with China, has not rationed its
people as have Germany and Italy. but
rationing nevertheless Is the order of the
day. And in each of these countries, with
huge war machines to feed, only blind
optimism would predict that conditions
will not grow worse There Is no record
in history Of nation improving its ma
terial status under the strain Of war.
Consider Japan first. She has won
many victories in China, temporary one
against the United States, but real VIC
tory is so far distant, if 1t ever appears,
that the japanese people have become
irritated with sacrifices which they long
have been making. 1t is believed by many
that one of the reasons why Japan at
tackled the United States when she did
was to bolster up the morale Of her peo-
pie.
The uOrk IN, Tan iS
Four matches day to family milk only
in certain areas, no pure butter, no
wheat, no cotton or wool for clothes be-
cause these two commodities must 60 to
the fighting forces, and the cost Of liv-
ing risen from 800 to 500 per cent, Is but
. glimpse OF internal Japan.
If this thumbnail sketch u not Q con-
vincing picture Of what the japanese
face, then consider that American
oranges or lemons on Japan's markets
would sell for dollar each. Newspapers
have been reduced to four pages as . re-
suit Of paper shortage, the government
is issuing thinner postal cards and tho
size of telegraph blanks has been dras-
tically reduced. No engraved wedding in
vitatons can be issued, for copper a
well as paper must be saved: only 30
watt bulbs are permitted after Q pm IN
Toxic, and the price Of . telephone u
$500.
Lo 6 before the war started the Italian
people were feeling the hardships Of .
Fascist regime, but then as now. rally
ing to sacrifices largely because they
periodically are stimulated by . breast
beating leader making promises, none OF
which has been kept in full. After Italy
had thrown her strength TO Hitler, or
probably on Hitlers orders. the real
pinch for the Italians came. Ever4 q
year ago the monthly allowance OF sugar
per person was only fraction over one
pound. At that time, too, macaroni. flour
and rice were cut to a. pounds per per-
son per month. Other commodities are
rationed on a similar basis, and coffee
cannot be sold to private consumers.
Clothing can be purchased only on gov
ernment approval and then in quanti-
ties only sufhcient to keep the body
warm, for the army has first claim on all
wearables and children come second.
Totalitarian countries scoff at democ-
racies for what they say are cumber-
some governmental activities. But no
democracy on earth could possibly have
more government machinery than Italy.
Tr. various pools, boards and ministries
control everything the people eat, wear
and most of what they read.
The situation in Germany Is even
more desperate than in Japan and Italy.
A country that must uproot, by ofneial
decree, the iron fences around private
homes and gardens to help keep the
steel mills going, resort to substitutes
for more than so common items Of food
and clothes, and where no inhabitant
can purchase q piece of wearing apparel
without an official order, Is facing a
desperate economic situation. That Is
the Reich today.
Germany's food problem has been
acute for many months. The first tan
gible evidence of this was shown when
Holland and other countries were over
run and thousands of head Of cattle
taken Immediately to the home base for
food purposes. Gradually young farmers
have been drafted into the army, leav-
ing only the older people, women and
children to produce. And production il
evidently very low, for the German food
card now permits the purchasing Of only
~ pounds Of canned vegetables for the
entire winter
Obviously all this places q great stTair
en AroprAe AnA 81 IaenAr-
ate Is the situation in the national treas
ury that the minister of economics has
ordered q registration OF all holdings In
industrial and bank shares. No reason
is offered for this move, but it seems to
be clear that when and If Germany
must confscate financial holdings Of the
masses, it will know where to make the
take. Then. too. every German indus
try has been instructed to invest in gov
ernment securities q greater portion Of
its liquid assets. II such . process were
to continue, and with acceleration, even
tually private funds all would be in the
hands of the government, industry would
ployment. 1t Is . curious economy which
only . leadership In the throes Of pos.
sible defeat could demand and enforce.
1t may be . more important sign than
1t now seems.
In contrast to what the people OF
Japan, Italy and Germany face, the
United States is vast storehouse Of food
supplies, clothing and billions Of tons Of
raw materials with which to feed the
war machine. Poverty often does stalk
the land, but nevertheless supplies are