“9. A policy of prices which affords the enterprises adequate profit and thus guarantees their means of existence.”
Examining the demands of the rulers of the occupied countries with relation to the German purchases on the black market, Veltjens writes:
“Moreover, lately the French and Belgian economic and government circles, among others the Chief of the French Government himself, have considered it necessary to complain about the organized German buying. In response to remonstrations of this kind, it should be pointed out—in addition to various other arguments—that on the part of the Germans, too, there is naturally the greatest interest in the disappearance of the black market. But the chief responsibility for its existence rests with the government authorities themselves for their incompetence regarding price control and their negligence in meting out just punishment, whereby lack of discipline among their own population is encouraged.”
The Tribunal will allow me to stress the value of the argument developed by Veltjens by reminding it that the Germans were the principal purchasers on the black market, and that their agents enjoyed absolute immunity.
Finally, speaking of the machinery in the factories, Veltjens writes in his report:
“Another order of the delegate for the special missions concerns seizure of the machinery of closed factories. It is an established fact that great capacities, particularly of machine tools, are not being utilized at present, while at home they are urgently needed for armament production. After an agreement by the delegate of special missions, the military commander, and the plenipotentiary for machine production, there has been created in France, at the armament inspection office, an office for the distribution of machines (Maschinenausgleichstelle).
“The creation of Maschinenausgleichstellen in Belgium and Holland is pending. One of the main difficulties, in this field, is to overcome the resistance of the owners of the factories, as well as that of the local government offices of the occupied territories.
“The occupation authorities will have to use every means to break this resistance.”