The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-11-02
Natural Thrift and Economy
Promise Rapid Progress
EXPORT BUSINESS GROWING
Our Great Ally Possesses Recuper-
alive Powers Which Justify Belief
That She VIII Meet and Solve TrI-
umphantly the Problems Which Con-
front Her After the War.

With Paris bouIeyards echoing with
wives for American troops our inter
est IA the welfare of our ally vastly
increases, and the facts are not lack
Ing TO encourage the belief that she Is
already ON the road TO recovery from
the blow OF invasion By ruthless enc
EtIiy.
One OF the most important devel-
opments Is the announcement that
one Of the largest banking institutions
in America concerned with foreign
trade, the Guaranty Trust company
OF New York, has opened Paris
branch to handle the rapidly inereas-
Ing volume of French business.
This action may surprise many per
sons who had thought of France as
bowed under calamltous invasion.
The bank, however, gives figures indi-
eating that France is not only meeting
her military and civilian problems with
stout heart ard never failing cour-
age, hut Is re-cstablishlng her export
business with this country.
In 1914, the year " the outbreak OF
the war, imports from France 60 this
country totaled Slll ,IIG,252, This to-
tal was reduced to SIT, l3S,7A0 In 1919,
but last year the value of French Inn
ports 20 the United States rose to
$102 or ,060.
"a nation that can achieve such
commercial recovery while her terrl-
tory * being ravishcd by the invader"
SAYS the Trust company'S statement,
Possesses recuperattve powers which
| Justify the belief that she win emerge
from the present conflict prepared TO
meet aud Salve triumphantly the prob
irms which confront her"
The commercial and industrial rec
ord ~ France, following past wars, In.
| dtcates that she should recover quickly
| from the actual physical destruction
| inflicted IN the present conflict, The
reconstruction of railroads, the erection
! OF factories to replace those destroyed,
and the replacement Of the mechanism
I OF Industrial activity that will he re-
CURED and that Is In part already
| planned offer peculiarly Inviting
field to American capital and enter
/ prise. Tentative steps have already
hecn taken by representatives Of Amer
lean engineers and business men in this
I work,
! Aside from It's attractive business
I aspect, the enlistment OF American
money ana effort IN the great task Of
! reconstruction that viii remain &c the
end Of the war will teud to cement still
more elnSely the ties that bind the two
I great republics together, and viii en-
/ able Americans to discharge In part
4 the debt they owe to France for her
Z friendly interest la the welfare and
/ progress ~ tile United States from
/ the beginning II IT, life as nation.
+ IN judging the Industrial status ot
any nation, its production aud con-
sumption OF coal, Iron. aud steel and
the growth OF les transportation sys-
I tens are highly significant factors.
Ia 1859, French Industries consumed
/ n million tons OF coal, " which t3.5
i millions were taken from home mines.
In 1872 the consumption WAS 81 mill
lions, OF which al million tons were
Z taken from home mines.
Ia 1869. the French output of cast
iron was i.SS0.O0o tons, and Of steel,
1.O6o0oo tons. In 1914. France pro-
ducsd SSH zoo tons of cast iron and
&6S5.0oo tons OF steel.