Evening star., 1917-05-06

al
one of the gains resulting from
the allies smashing Hinder
& burg's lines. 1t is one of the
industrial aspects of the war which
was ignored in the beginning by every
body except the methodical Germans.
The territory already yielded by the
invading army restores to France two
thirds of her area of coal deposits and
considerable iron ore area. 1t was
this territory which the German army
used to SO great an advantage to it
self. The Germans not only crippled
France industrially, but they benefited
themselves proportionately because
they at once began to avail themselves
of the captured resources for the manu-
facture of munitions and for other
army supplies.
They We're not able to operate the
plants to the full extent of peace times,
but they did get the benefit of a con-
siderable industrial capacity. When
the region was occupied they figured
it out in terms of the equivalent of
horse power in the form of boiler and
engine power which they were utiliZ-
ing. The demonstration was mathe-
matical one, but it was precise and con-
vfncing.
X x
The Germans plan, even after they
failed to reach Paris, was to possess
themselves completely of the iron ore
and coal areas of France. This was
a principal object in the drive against
Verdun. In southeastern France they
approached within firing distance of
the historic town of Nancy, which is
the outpost of the French iron in
dustry. They shelled it continuously
with artillery fire.
Had they been able to occupy Nancy
their next move would have been to
the Creusot region. This is one of the
few districts in France where there is
both coal and iron ore. 1t is the seat
of the great iron and steel industry
which has furnished the bulk of the
munitions to the French government
what Essen. with the krupp works, is
to Germany. The Germans, however,
never We're able to occupy this i'm
portant industrial district.
The region which Hindenburg has
yielded in his retreat before the drive
or the allies comprises substantially
all the iron and coal deposits. The
iron ore beds extend from the corner
of Belgium along Luxembourg to the
border of Switzerland. When the Ger
French territory they will consequent
ly be further crippled in providing
themselves with munitions from enemy
sources. Whether ultimately they can
be driven out of Luxembourg and Lor-
raine rs well, is a military problem
like that of dispossessing them from
Belgian territory. Should this happen,
1t may be assumed that peace is in
sight, not from the hunger of the Ger
man people, but from the hunger of
the German iron and steel industries.
The French economists who have
been aiding the military arm of the
government find great satisfaction in
the repossession of the coal fields. 1t
is even calculated how soon the French
industries in this territory may again
be operated, and the hope is expressed
that before long the cities of Lille and
RoubaiX. which are manufacturing
centers, Will be back in French hands,
and that the agricultural implement
and other industries at once will be
revived.
Tentative contracts were made more
than a year ago with American manu-
facturers to supply the machinery
necessary for the rehabilitation of the
plants. This machinery undoubtedly
could be shipped safely with the
United States and the entente allies
exerting their full naval strength to
protect the cargoes crossing the At
lantic There is. however. difficulty
which is readily recognized 1t is to
supply the works with workmen.