For What It Is Worth

No less an authority than Britain's Ministry of Economic Warfare came up last week with the old, hitherto wishful story that Germany is running out of oil. This time MEW said officially, flatly, that German oil production from all sources had fallen to half the essential needs of the German armed forces. Supporting evidence: bombs have destroyed at least half the Reich's synthetic oil plants, knocked out all Rumanian refineries (except possibly "Romano-Americana," formerly owned by Standard Oil of New Jersey). Rumanian crude must be carried to German refineries by vulnerable railroads or Danube barges, then sent back as gasoline to the eastern front. The Germans have exhausted their central reserves, must draw on and replenish local stores as best they can.

Already, said MEW, the shortage was hampering military operations. But MEW hedged a little. Bombing must not stop, it warned; refineries and oil plants can be repaired.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.