The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-15

that production of locomotives by all the industries under German co1trol-G German, French and Bel- glan factories-has dropped to 1,400 a year Che said this marked a def- mite and large falling off from the total production of all these factor ies in past years). This means that three years production of locomo. tives was destroyed in about six months of fighting in Russia. Of ell the industrial problems facing the Na2is, my source declared, rail transport was by far the most acute.
 This is but one industry and siHn- liar developments have occurred in all of them. What the loss in this industry alone means to Eitler's future plans should be obvious. Even If Hitler should conquer all Russia, he will have to transport his men and material back to the West if he intends to invade Eng land unless, which is highly possi- ble, he has given up this objective as hopeless. It would take a year or more to make the necessary transf'srence of soldiers and troops from the East to the West, in view of the losses of rolling stock in- cured in Russia. But that is an interpretation which is the best of all possible interpretation for Hit Ter. Actually, the war in Russia Is not over, and the loss of locomotives and freight cars is continuing.
 HITLER'S INDUSTRY STILL
 DANGEROUSLY VERILE
 The fall in the production in Hit ler's Europe should not be overes- timated in importance. It does not mean that German industry has collapsed or that there is a prospect of imminent collapse. Hitler's in- dustry is still dangerously virile, and can still produce plenty of tanks, guns and planeS-more than we are producing. But neither should the development be underestimated. Our production figures are still ris- ing and we have lots of slack we can take up. Hitler'S have reached their peak and are falling. It is next to impossible to alter either of these trends; our rising production or the fall of Hitler's. The food and cloth- ing of German workers cannot get better, but can only get worse at a faster rate. Tn America there is not, in any important degree, a food problem, or. in fact, any prob- lem of consumption economies. Tn Germany and Europe. capital equip- ment has been too much overstrain- ed and is to run down to enjoy Q revival for the next five years, even if they were years of total peace i1- stead of total war. Even if Germany occupied all European Russia. the Nazis would find little or nothing they could use for the next three to five years. 4 German captain told me that when the German troops were in sight of Dnieperstroy, they saw, across the famous, now de- stroyed dam, on the side of the river the first intact factories they had seen in Russia-a vast colony of plants including an aluminium works and several power plants. When they crossed the river, they dlscov" cred every single building was emp ty: the Russians had removed every machine and nut and bolt to the Eastl
 TO replace destroyed Russian machinery or removed Russian fac. tories, the Germans will have to draw still more hundreds Of thou- sands of workers from Germany, 1t. self. The result can only be Q fur- ther slowing down Of production In oermany's own replacement pro- gramme. Russia has ieen, and re. mains, a total loss to Germany. It Is an often nlsused statement, but It Is true in the case Of the Rus sian war. that Germany has been winning herself to death.
 (CepyFight. Iol2. by Howard K.
 Smith. DlssFibuted by United
 Feature Syndicate. Incl
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