Wearing Down Germany
The economic blockade of Germany, which was discussed in the House of Lords on Tuesday, is only one of the means of depriving the enemy of the essentials of war ; but it is one that the Allies could not do without. Other *leans are the reconquest of territory which Germany was exploiting, such as the Donetz Basin and the Ukraine, and bombing, which destroys her factories, finished goods and transport. The extent of her conquests in Europe early in the war and the help of her satellites made it appear that an economic
blockade could..not effect in this war all'that it effected in the last. But the grip has been Ateedily,tightening. There are materials from abroad of which the enemy is n. ciire need. Japan has tungsten, rubber and oil whiMperlia10.4nts ; Germany has tools and ball-bearings which Japan wants. Lord Selborne showed how effectively the British and Allied navies and aircraft have prevented blockade-running ; and how it has been possible to apply legitimate pressure on neutrals to check their trading with the enemy. A very elaborate system of economic intelligence has been built up which is essential to economic war and also to effective bombing, and on this point some concern was expressed by Lord Nathan and Lord Cecil lest this valuable piece of machinery should be lost in the period following the war. Lord Selborne explained that though he hoped his own department would be shut down after the defeat of Germany, the intelligence section of it would be transferred to the Foreign Office, and form the nucleus of the Economic Intelligence Department to be created there. In the period of the armistice the services of the able staff that has been collected will be indispensable in getting economic life restarted in Europe.
