The Elbert County tribune., 1915-05-07
is BEST OF FRANCE.
Section Held by Germans Is of
Vast Importance.
Nearly one-Haif Of Industrial France
and the Homes of 'One-Tenth of
the Population Behind
German Lines

washington, ID. C.-Ihe importance
of the five per cent of French terri
tory held by the Germans is strikingly
set forth in a statement given to the
press by the National Geographic So
ciety 1t shows that while 1t is com
paratiyely small in area 1t is very
large indeed in industrial and agricul-
tural importance. t says:
Holding only about 10000 square
miles OF French territory. or less than
one-twentieth of continental France.
the Germans have behind their ad-
vanced lines nearly one-half of indus
trial France and the homes of one-tenth
of her population. Pas-de-Calais, Nord.
Aisne, Ardennes, Meuse and Meurthe-et-
Moselle of which the Germans hold all
or the larger and most important
parts. are the banner departments OF
| France. Here are the mines, the foun-
dries and factories, and the dairies
and farms. which are the pride. the
wealth and the strength of modern
| France. In this narrow strip under
German occupation, there is produced
| 10 per cent of all coal mined in France.
80 per cent of all of the native-mined
iron. and nearly half of the republics
output of manufactured articles.
The iron and steel industry of the
great republic lies almost entirely
back of the German trenches. France
stood fourth among the nations of
the world as a producer Of iron and
steel. with an annual production OF
| 100000 tons of pig iron and of 3,1O0,-
900 tons of steel. This industry was
centered and contained in northern
France. for here were the raw mate
rials. The Flemish coal basin. extend
| ing into the Nord and Pas-de-Calais
where 100000 miners we're employed,
produced 60 per cent of the coal mined
in France, and. practically, the coW,-
try's entire supply of fossil coal. The
iron mines of the Meurthe-et-Moselle
| furnished "a per cent of the total
| French output of iron, and this re-
| gion was reckoned as one of the prin-
cipal iron-producing regions of the
world.
with the French and Belgian iron
and coal fields in their possession. the
Germans would have almost monop-
| oily of the iron and steel Industries of
Europe. Germany is now second only
to the United States in the production
OF iron and steel. Before war con-
ditions set in, the United States pro-
duced annually 24.500,000 tons of steel.
Germany 100000, Great Britain g..
100000 France 100000 and Belgium
| 100000. Germany is third among
the great industrial nations of the
world in the production of coal. and
with the French and Belgian mines
behind her lines might easily equal
the output of Great Britain, second
upon the list. Thus. unusual interest
attaches to the small strips of foreign
lands back of the German lines.
"The Nord department. all but a
few square miles of whose coast lands
IL in the possession of the enemy is
in agricultural and industrial impor-
tance the first department of France
In this department, and the depart
ment of the Pas-de-Calais, Meuse and
Meuthe-et-Moselle are the great metal
working plants of the French. the huge
Pittsburgh and Cleveland mills, foun-
dries and machine works of that coun-
try In these departments, further, is
| great part of the lands textile in
dustry, the cotton, wooden and linen
weaving. the working of lace and EN-
broidery. TIE weaving of carpets. and
dyeing Flour mills. brick kilns, dis
tilleries, glass words, pottery works,
shoe and hat factories, tobacco fac
tories. and large plants for the pro
duction OF hardware, enameled iron
| adga OF ~ ,xr1
through this thickly-populated section
in profusion. In the shops situated
within these departments most of the
French cabinet work is done. and
here. near by the best fields. much oi
the French sugar is refined.
Moreover, here. where is the great
est industrial development, is, also
the most intensive agriculture. Neigh
boring Belgians have not brought their
farms up to higher standard of pro
duction than has been reached by the
fields of these northern French de
partments. Everywhere throughout
this region, wher there are no mines
and factories, smiling gardens and fer
tile, well-cultivated farms take theil
place All of the cereals. sugar beets
fruits. hops. tobacco. fax and large
droyes of cattle are grown upon them
Some of the best dairies of France are
in this territory.
The stretch Of bare 10000 square
miles. with its population of 10000
its bounteous agriculture. its rich Goa
) and iron mines, and its teeming man
ufacture, is one of the most important
districts in all Europe. Some idef
OF its richness can be had from this