Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-10-17

gan soon after the invasion, the eoy.
IN in December. 1914. declaring
saae damage caused by the wal should
ne a charge on the nation rs O. whole.
principle means that the French
manufacture ooks to his government
1or the means OF resum.ng Industrial
activity.
Regardless OF what indemnities Of
repafation may be expected from the
enemy, the indemnity desired by the
manufactures Is materials with which
Ties. $ indemnities to the manu-
lacturer. the Paris chamber Of com
merce declared In May, 1915, are I'M
sound, for with the money in his hand
he would not be assured OF materials
necessary to reconstruct his plant.
French government officials quick
ly realized the objection TO the state
undertaking to buy and locate ma.
teflals. Accordingly, the manufactur-
ers organized the central association
lor the restoration of industrial life in
the invaded regions to be conducted
without profit and serving as a proxy
OF n state. Its membership Is divid-
ed INTO four sections: First, the textile.
industries; second. mining, metal
lurgieal. machine and electrical con
struction industries; third, agricul-
tural industries, such as sugar refiu-
cries, distiileries, breweries, flour mills
and food conservation plants, md,
fourth, miscellaneous industries. in
Guiding all not falling within the first
three sections.
The Central Association is further
divided into regional or trade sub
committees. TIE purpose of tlise being
10 assist the association in the studies
of the restoration of individual indus
tries. The Central Association, under
the general law governing it's opera
ton, was unable to concern itself in
such enterprises as the purchase and
distribution OF merchandise, and this
defeat was corrected by the %orsaniZa-
ton in August, 1915. of the stock COM
panN known as the Central Bureau for
Purchases.
Law Enacted.
Without the support of the state,
the Central Bureau could not begin
deputies enacted a law, August 9, 1917,
providing a preliminary credit OF 250.-
600, 900 francs to be used for making
purchases. Directors Of the Central
Bureau and the Ministers OF Com
merce and Finance made a formal
agreement on October 4. 1917. that
definitely committed the French gov
eminent to the principle OF collective
buying OF reconstruction materials.
BY the agreement the bureau luys
and distributes materials and equip-
ment after proposed purchases have
been approved by the ministry Of
commerce, and It's accounts are sub
ject to audit by the inspector gem
eral of finances. Other provisions Of
the agreement make h bureau under
strict government control.
Purchases are now being made By
the bureau for before the work Of re-
pairing the wars damage can n
undertaken, the way must first be
won, n tonnage is too valuable sor
even h import of material necessary
before industrial reconstruction ca.N
begin. Meanwhile the bureau is pre-
pairing estimates Of materials that will
be needed by each industry. OF equal
Importance In the preparation is the
work Of establishing contracts with
prospective supply. SO that ali will
be ready for the signing of contracts
with the signing of n peace treaty.
The bureau. according to advices
received here. is anxious to get in
touch with American manufacturers,
but has let 1t be known that II would
be Of little use for individual Ameyi-
car firms to send cataloges. or enter
into preliminary correspondence. A
report issued by 1t declares that in
dividual and competitive buying is
out Of the question and the collective
selling Is favored to meet Frances
collective buying.