Evening star., 1947-11-05
1ydings Reports Lack
0fGood MoneyCauses
Reich Food Troubles
German Former hos Little
Incentive When He Must
Toke Worthless Currency

Take Worthless Currency
(This is the first OF four ar
ticles by Senator Tydings OF
MARYLAND describing conditions
in Western Europe as obserued
during his recent inspection tour.
By Senator MiHard E. Tydines
At the suggestion Of the Secre-
taries OF State, War and Navy, I
recently visited Western Europe to
make study of the conditions pre-
vailing there. To conserve travel
time, the Army provided me with a
plane.
covered a large part of Germany,
and in Berlin sat with the Allied
Control Council, composed of repre-
sentatives Of the United States, Brit
ain, Russia and France. I also Wis
tied Austria, the Free Territory OF
Trieste, Italy, Greece, France, Bel
gium and Great Britain, where I
talked with scores of our representa-
tives, both civil and military, as well
as with the heads of government OF
these nations. A large amount OF
data and information was provided
me, and I asked for considerable
more, which was furnished.
Since returning I have been asked
repeatedly, What about Europe? Is
there insufficient food, fuel, clothing
and shelter? What do you think OF
the Marshall plan? Are people over
there doing all they can to help
themselves? What should we do to-
ward the rehabilitation of Europe?"
Perhaps the best way to answer
such questions is to present the basic
facts, from which sound conclusions
should naturally follow.
Foreigners Ruling Germany.
Let US start with Germany. Here
are a people who were decisively do
feated in a great war. -Four victor
ious armies now occupy the whole Of
the nation. There Is no central or
national German government. The
local governments must function un-
der the orders and directives Of the
victorious armies. Germany is be-
ing ruled not by Germans but by
foreigners.
The country has been widely dew
astated. Many great cities lie IN
ruins. The center area Of Berlin Is
devastated. Frankfurt, the second
largest city, is 10 per cent destroyed.
So we find it everywhere-Darm-
stadt, Wuerzburg, Bremen, Schwetn-
furt, Munich and scores Of others
have been shattered by bombs-some
as much as 80 per cent destroyed.
The toll of industrial establishments
and Of living quarters runs into q
very high percentage.
In the American Zone Of Ger
many, the density Of population is
400 to the square mile. Eliminating
forests, cities and wasteland, that
means one acre for each person
only. In the British Zone, the dem
sity is much more acute.
Germany's soil, by and large, Is
of poor quality. It has been exten-
sively farmed for centuries. With
abundant fertilizer, acreage yield Is
average. Fertilizer has been scarce
during the entire war and up to
the present. Superimposed on this
condition, all Western Europe SUI
fered under the worst drought in
100 years.
Germany Can't Feed Self.
The potato crop just harvested
produced potatoes, the average size
Of which was about equal to small
green black walnut. Germany can
not feed herself, under present con-
ditions.
The German farmer has little in
centive to produce. If he sells his
produce, he is paid in money OF
doubtful value. There Is little to
buy with such money, hence he ma
turally prefers to eat as well as he
can himself, while his countrymen In
the cities live on scant rations.
The farmer who had sold some Of
his produce bought with the pro-
ceedS seven pairs Of shoes, none Of
which would At any member Of his
family. At least, however, this
farmer had something Of value.
Germans remember the imitation
wave Of 1923. Then this writer, In
Berlin, paid one million marks (pre-
war value, $3.50, ,000) for single Gig
arctic.
It is hard to induce the farmer to
raise more food and sell what he
does not require, when there is little
or nothing he can get in return Tor
his product.
Thousands Of bridges have been
destroyed. Locomotives, passenger
vehicles and freight cars have been
shot to pieces or worn out. Re-
habilitated railroad trackage il lin
tied. Trucks for transport are scarce
and are In great demand. Gasoline
and oil must be imported. Trans
portation facilities are but frac-
ton Of what they used to be.
Coal Output Far Below Normal.
Coal, which Germany has in
abundance, is far below normal pro-
duction. There is neither enough
for furnishing power for German
"a .~~.sas