Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-22
COOPERATIVE SELLING. j.
DURING, RECONSTRUCTION
Revolutionary Change Will Take
Place In French Buying Meth
dds After the War.
TO POOL INTEREST.
Many Factories i'm Region Occupic,
by Germans Have Been Wrcckec'i
and Must BE Rebuilt, While Mine.
, Have Been Flooded.

. wAsHINGToN, September 81. =
American manufacturers wno plan to
supply materials for the Industrial re-
construction OF NORTHERN France should
prepare for cooperative selling; for
revolutionary change in French
methods Of buying is TO follow the
war.
a small number OF central purchasing
agencies. representing groups Of
French manufacturers engaged in re-
lated industries and assisted by the
credit Of the French government will
deal with those supplying the material
Scattered American selling efforts
vii, not be able to meet the require
nents Of the huge blying power Of
several thousand French consumers. in
the onlnion OF Pierce G. Williams
American commercial attachc at Paris
who reports that unless American man
'ufrctUrerS prepare for cooperative
selling that they Will be laborins under
n serious handicap
Purchases for the Invaded Regions. a
French stock company composed OF
many manufacturers. has emphasized
In report that the task OF restoring
ihr destroyed industries is too large far
individual and competitive buying. Its
directors are reported as equally GER
tain that II will lie on, OF the aues-
matter how large or well equipped TO
meet the demand. II is with Eyoups OF
American manufacturcrs-cach group
with all materials aud special cQuip-
ment Tor its reatoration-that the cen
trai bureau wishes to establish rela-
tons
Although the French manufacturer i'm
The past has been regarded as mos, in
uividuulistic among business men the
size and compiexity OF the task of re-
construction has caused him To accent
such a radical change in his business
methods as collective buying. The in
dustrial reconstruction In France alone
Is more than one nation can properly
attend to. so tho pooling OF American
interests involves solution of the uues-
ton OF whether American manufactur.
els will be able to hold their own in
compe,ition with Other nations
Although the area occupied by the
Germans In France the last four years
is small as compared with corresponds
ing regions in the United states. North
e-n and Eastern France with Belgium.
were in ] ?lt. one OF tho busiest work
shops in the world. Nearly 5000 fac
tories and industrial establishments
we're in tho invaded parts Of France
and their outplt was more than 80 per
cent OF all Of France. These factories
outpu, in proportion, to the co"n,ry's
total production follows:
Iron orc. 30 per cent: pig iron. 81
per cent. steel, 10 per cent: coal. 20
per cent: combcd wool. =. per cent .
linen thread. 80 per cent: sugar. 81
per cent
Owners OF the factories. ~ course.
have been shut or from normal com
ilunicallOn WItn tnclT properties, but
workncn, engineers ana others caught
in north OF France when the German
army rolled through thcr. nave gracu-
ally worked their way TO Paris AS
their repatriation has been accomplish
ed by the allied arms. IN many TO-
caiities and in almost countless IN
du.tries, nothing remains.
Coal mines have been flooded. and
years viii pass before coal viii he
hosted' from them again. Electric
power, stations and the transmission
mnnt Tied. the machinery being carried
of " the Germans. ana the copper
wire sold at auction. practically al.
OF the equipment in the Neutrality-suspicious.
plants. all the cotton. linen and wooi
spinning machinery. together with
wool -combinE and textile looms. nave
been Systematically pii!ased.
COPPER AND ALLOYS xnn
TAKEN FROM MACHINERY
Hcpatristod workers report that MA :
chimes have been Skillfuiiy taken apart
and all ihc copper and alloys in the
hearings sent into Germany for re-
melting. In many instances. after tnis
was dong. the iron frame was broxeu
w md turned over TO German scrap
irun dealers.
Steel structures have been taken
DOWN. and the sheet-iron roofs ana
steel columns and beams have ei,,irr.
been sent back into Germany or Msei
hrewcEles are reported 10 nave been
completely destroyed. Machine SHOPS
finished just before the beginning or
the war have been razed and. IT. IN
the rear OF the battle line the enemy.
has continued in operation CERTAIN
plants that would serve his purposes.
IL Is believed that these viii be &c
strcyed before rctreatinS
The cost of replacing these innus-
tries to-day is estimated TO be about
three times the original cost Whicn
would amount TO millions The cost
before the war. OF industries known 10
have suffered worst Is scmiofiiciaiiy
reported as follows:
Francs
Spinning and combed wool