New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1917-10-20
Natural Thrift and Economy
Promise Rapid Progress
EXPORT BUSINESS GROWING
Our Great Ally Possesses Recuper.
ative Powers Which Justify Belief
That She Will Meet and Solve Tri-
umphantIy the Problems Which Con.
front Her After the War.

With Paris boulevards echoing with
''vives' for American troops our inter-
est In 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 en-
envy.
1 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 q Paris
branch to handle the rapidly increas-
Ing volume Of French business.
This action may surprise many per-
sons who had thought Of France a.
bowed under q calamitous invasion.
The bank. however, gives figures indi-
eating that France IL not only meeting
her military and civilian problems with
Z stout heart and never failing cour1
age, but II re-establishing her export
business with this country.
4 In 1914, the year Of the outbreak OF
the war, imports from France to this
country totaled $141. 446,252. This to-
tai was reduced to 77.158, 40 in 1915.
but last year the value Of French i'm
ports to the United States rose 70
31O2. on. go.
j "A nation that can achieve such .
commercial recovery while her terri.
tory IL being ravished BY the invader"
says the Trust company's statement.
spossesses recuperative powers which
Justify the belief that she win emerge
from the present conflict prepared to
meet and solve triumphantly the prob
TENS which confront her"
/ The commercial and industrial rec
ord Of France, following past warn, In
dicates 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
OF Industrial activity that win b re-
ouired and that II in part already
planned, Offer . peculiarly inviting
lleld 10 American capital and enter
prise. Tentative steps have already
been taken b. representatives Of Amer
lean engineers and business men n this
work.
ABIDE from it, attractive business
ASPECT the enlistment of American
money ana effort n the great task ct
reconstruction that win remain ct the
end Of the war win tend to cement stin
more closely the lies that bind the two
great republics together. and win en-
able Americans to discharge In part
the debt they owe to France for her
friendly interest In the welfare and
progress Of the United States from
the beginning Of tn life % . nation.
4 In judging the industrial status Of
any nation. it, production and con-
sumption Of coal. iron. and steel and
the growth Of its transportation sys-
tems are highly significant factors.
/. In 1872, French Industries consumed
81 million tons Of coal, Of which 1875
millions were taken from home mines.
In 1912. the consumption was 81 mil
lions, Of which II million tons were
taken from home mines.
n 1889, the French output of cast
Iron was 1.880OO0 tons, and Of steel.
100000 tons. In 1914. France pro-
duced 6.311, 600 tons Of cast iron and
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