The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1917-19??, 1917-10-18
Natural Thrift and Economy
Promise Rapid Progress
EXPORT BUSINESS GROWING
Our Great Ally Possesses Reouper-
alive Powers Which Justify Belief
That She Will Meet and Solve Tri-
umphantly 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 a ruthless en-
envy.
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 increas-
ing volume OF French business.
This action may surprise many per-
sons who had thought of France as
bowed under a calamitous invasion.
The bank, however, gives figures indi-
eating that France Is not only meeting
her military and civilian problems with
| q stout heart and never falling cour-
age, but is re-establishing her export
business with this country.
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 SIT ,15S7A0 in 1915,
but last year the value of French i'm
ports to the United States rose to
$i02, 077,0G0.
"A nation that can achieve such a
commercial recovery while her terri
tory is being ravished by the invader"
says the Trust company's statement,
possesses recuperative powers which
Justify the belief that she will 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 wars, in
dicates that she should recover quickly
from Tie 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 will be re-
uuired and that is in part already
planned, offer peculiarly inviting
field to American capital and enter
prise. Tentative steps have already
been taken by representatives Of Amer
lean engineers and business men in this
work.
Aside from it's attractive business
aspect, the enlistment of American
money and effort in the great task of
reconstruction that will remain at the
end of the war will tend to cement still
more closely the ties that bind the two
great republics together, and will 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 its life as nation.
In judging the industrial status of
any nation, its production and con-
sumption of coal, iron, and steel and
the growth of its transportation sys-
tens are highly significant factors.
In 1869, French Industries consumed
q million tons Of coal, Of which 1876
millions were taken from home mines.
In 1912, the consumption was 81 mil
lions, of which Al million tons were
taken from home mines.
In 1869, the French output Of cast
iron was l,280,000 tons, and Of steel,
100000 tons. In 1914, France pro-
duced $4,000 tons of cast iron and
4G35,000 tons of steel.