JuN-E 1, 1919.; 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



An Investigation of German Ravages in Rubber F'actories of 

 Belgium and Northern France During the Great War. 



special Correspondence. 



by the hand of the thieves themselves, is limited to the zone occu- 

 pied by the German armies and was efifected in February, 1916; 

 consequently, it does not relate the total damage sustained by 

 the French establishments, for the victory of the Marne had 

 already forced the enemy to retreat. 



X'lu. immciliatily luliind the French front there was a whole 

 series of flourishing industrial 

 I'lwns before the war, whose 

 H-tories must now be consid- 

 rc d as having been absolutely 

 (Jctroyed. Such is the case 

 of Rheims, Armentieres, Be- 

 thune, Luneville, Verdun, Dun- 

 kirk, and many other points. 

 This reservation has, more- 

 over, been well made, "for in 

 nrder to estimate the whole 

 I' mage," adds the German 

 I'icument above considered, 

 "the data of this inquiry should 

 be amplified by figures which 

 it will not be possible to fix 

 the time, ex- until after the end of the campaign." Thus from each page of 

 The end pursued was quite different, and this "confidential" work, truly stupefying in its cynicism, glares 

 if the facts of the case are examined with any logic, the aim the constant concern to destroy methodically and deliberately 

 will immediately stand revealed with startling clearness. every industry capable of competing in the slightest degree with 



THE will to conquer new markets by force played a role in 

 Germany's aggression that is daily being put in a clearer 

 light by substantial documents. In February, 1916, the 

 German staff instituted a detailed and thorough study of the 

 French and Belgian industries in the orriipied distrirts. It was 

 a very close inventory of more tlini r.'inri f.i t>,rir>, t.,r ■.vliich 

 were employed 200 experts spe- 

 cially recalled from the front 

 for the purpose, out of the 

 ranks of the combatant army. 

 What thought moved the 

 German Staff to undertake and 

 bring to a successful issue this 

 comprehensive task? Was it 

 a question of drawing up a list 

 of the resources which, in case 

 of a prolongation of the strug- 

 gle, the supplies and the indus- 

 tries of the occupied regions 

 would still be able to furnish? 

 The date at which this work 

 was executed, the certainty of 

 victory that inspired the Hun High Command 

 elude this hypoth 



Plant of Englebert & Cie. 



Starting with the principle that a thor- 

 ough knowledge of the industrial and eco- 

 nomic conditions of the occupied territory 

 was necessary in influential circles in the 

 German Empire, an attempt was made in 

 this study to furnish a description as com- 

 plete as possible ; this has been gathered 

 from statements made and information 

 gained on the spot. This work covers the 

 most important industrial branches, from 

 a technical as well as from an economic 

 point of view. It describes the conditions 

 under which the various industries e.xist ; 

 it exposes their relatkitis with Germany 

 and with the markets of the world; it 

 gives, furthermore, a summary of the re- 

 percussions that will probably result for 

 Germany from the destruction of certain 

 branches of these industries. 



All things duly considered, this formid- 

 able survey had no other end to serve. 

 Each of its chapters is devoted to one of 

 the industries of the invaded countries, and 

 each industry there is examined from the 

 following triple point of view : 



1 — Its position at the time of the invasion. 



2 — Its position resulting from the dama.ge 

 time of the investigation. 



3 — The profit that the German industry could derive from its 

 disappearance and from the destruction of its factories. 



The damage found by the experts of the great German Staff 

 are divided into two classes and placed under the following 

 headings : 



1 — Damages caused directly by the operations of war. 



2 — Damages resulting from the proceedings of the German 

 authorities. 



This statement, which in reality constitutes an avowal signed 



sustained 



the German industry ; and the conviction 

 proudly proclaimed of thus aiding in the 

 development and prosperity of Germany is 

 displayed on each page. 



In a chapter devoted to coal mines, for 

 instance, the authors of the "confidential" 

 report estimate the losses that France will 

 suffer, at 13 million tons for the first year 

 and 10 million tons for the succeeding 

 years, since Lens, Lieven and Meurchain 

 had been rendered inexploitable. "When 

 they shall have been put in good condition 

 again," says the German document, "the 

 coke ovens of the Lens company will for 

 years be obliged to import their supply of 

 coals for coke, since there will be no 

 bituminous coal from their own mines, be- 

 cause of the destruction of the works and 

 the flooding of the mine." The establish- 

 ments thus attacked comprise 534 ovens 

 with an annual production of 620,000 tons 

 of coke. 



The weaving industry, which in many 

 Oscar Englebert. respects is so intimately related to the rub- 



lier industry, has not been spared, either. Still quoting from 

 the admission of the German experts, it will take two years 

 to restore the 1,900 weaving establishments of Lomme. Hau- 

 liourdin, Comines, Wervick, Perrenchies, Deulemont, Provins, 

 and one year for 1,400 others. And the German investigators 

 dwell on this situation, showing all the benefit that the German 

 industry will derive therefrom. "In order to be able to take 

 advantage," says their report, "of the terrible blow sustained 

 by the industries in the occupied regions, it is of particular 

 interest to Germany to set her intact mills working as soon as 

 possible, immediately after the war is ended. An outlet of 

 enormous importance is certain to open for them in France"! 

 "As for the rubber industry," finally says the report, "it will 



the 



