Evening star., 1947-10-30
Germans Again Seek:
Whale Fleet Rights as
Means 10 Obtain Fat
By Judy Borden
North Amerieon Newspaper Alliance


BERLIN Oct. 3o.-Last Septem-
ber the German Food and Agricul-
tural Department Of the bizonal
administration for the second time
applied to the Allied control coun-
Gil to approve their participation
in the international whale fleet.
A German economist says, How
can we be refused when the Japa-
nese have been permitted"
With great enthusiasm they go
back in history. They assert it was
DR.. A. Normann, German, who, IN
1902 found way to produce a solid
and edible fat from whale oil. This,
the Germans say, opened new era
in whale fishing and today a whole
industry is working on the basis OF
DR.. Normann's discovery.
Ever since 1886 when the first
German whale fleet began opera
tions, they have been working on a
further. development of machinery
and ships for whaling. This fleet
was accompanied by meat FAC
tories" which canned the meat out
on the ocean. A method was found
to extract oil from whale bones.
The Germans produced valuable
yitamin extract from the liver.
When the war started they halted
research and their fishing exped1-
tionS.
Norway's Action Recalled.
Now Norway insists that Germany
be barred from the international
whaling. The Norwegian govern
ment has filed q protest to the con-
troll council against any increase IN
the German fishing fleet and Ger
many's participation in the Whale
fishings.
Gen. Lucius D. Clay, however, says
that Germans have never been
whale fishers as have the Japanese
And, at present, the Germans have
no suitable ships. Also, Germany
cut herself off from the territories
Of whale fishing by the policy OF
her late government.
The Germans listen to these argu-
ments and are cynical.
1--WE want to do something about
our miserable situation" they say.
I'VE have initiative. We filed an
application to be admitted to the
whale fishings, We were refused.
What we did get was vague prom
ise that maybe we would receive
1000 tons of fat from the Japanese
fishing loot. Why can't we be al
lowed to do something about this
fat situation ourselves?"
Anger Widespread.
That is every Germans argument
II the whale subject is brought up.
Seldom has there been SO much
anger over a control council decision.
One Berlin paper writes as fol-
lows: Its useful and reasonable
from time to time to study the Pots
dam agreement in order to remind
ourselves all we are not allowed to
do. We are not allowed to build
ships of over $500 tons. We are
from travelling more than
1000 sea miles from the German
coasts. These two alone annul the
possibility OF German participation.
But many economists, German ad-
officers and some mem
bers of the occupational forces are
trying to find way out. They
know the dangers of starvation in
Germany. With the low ration of
400 grams of fat,monthly, Germany
needs an additional import Of $780,
900 tons of fat yearly.
Two Ships Suggested.
Germans have suggested that two
old passenger ships, the Robert
Ley and the "St. Louis" be made
into whale fishing boats. These
vessels were built by Kraft Durch
Freude"-strength through joy-a
Nazi organization. They are now
grounded in the Hamburg Harbor,
where they are used as hotels.
The British report that these two
ships soon will be dismantled. The
original German whale fishing feet
was handed over to the British i'm
mediately after the capitulation.
The Germans have one last hope:
the Marshall plan. This demands a
complete utilization of all European
food and raw materials beyond ma
tional interests. With this in mind
they trust eventually they will be
rarnoiffad fo or ubo limo