The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-01-28

also, were looted, the useful equip
ment, engines, rolling mills, machine
tools, even structural steel, having
been methodically taken away and set
to work again In the iron works In
Germany. Mines were flooded, the
surface plants d%ynamited, the work.
mems dwellings destroyed.
Sought A%nnihiiation.
"In a word, the Germans did their
best to annihilate the power of indus
trial production in the invaded districts
and prevent these regions from resum-
ing, for many years to come, their
place in the markets of the world.
1.-THE industry Of transportation has
also heavily suffered from the war.
The wear and tear on the rolling stock
of our railroads has been intense. In
the invaded regions the tracks were
badly injured during the German re-
tirement.
Takes have been raised to ar I'M
~precedented level. While in 1914 the
total of our national budget was slight
ly above 1000, 600, 900 francs, the taxes
viii have given In 1918. without the
invaded regions, which were as you
know, by far the richest, owe 9,000,-
O00,O 900 francs. In 1917 the civil
ian population in France paid In taxes
$3S per capita, rs compared with SO
paid In 1916 by Americans.
France, before the war, had a pub
lie debt of 1900, 000, 900 francs. The
interior debt has increased, during the
war, by over 100, 000,000,000. the
last public loan having produced
1000, O00,0 We have received from
Great Britain and the United States
loans amounting to 25.000,000,000
francs.
$50 that France starts on this new
period of her history with a burden of
public debt increased, on account of
the war, by over $4,000, 100000
francs, a figure which will certainly
be further increased In order to liqui-
date the war expenses.
81 have to give you these figures in
order to make you realize the serious
ness of the situation In which France
stands. We are all ready to face our
problems with the utmost confidence
and will to succeed. but we are aware
that they are grave problems.
"First, while the whole world jumps
into peace work and resumes trade,
we have a part of our territory which
Is unable to produce. We cannot main
tain u place in the markets OF the
world. We cannot get u W sup
ply of coal. We are obliged to main
tain restrictions in order to protect our
Industry while In cours of rehabili.
tation, and as long as a normal order
of things is not re-established.
Secondly, in order to get from out.
side markets the raw materials and fin
ished products we need, we depend
largely upon foreign, ships.
Ships the Big Item.
saThirdly, trade and shipping are
| closely connected. We have to rebuild
our foreign trade, which has been
stopped during the war on account OF
lack of tonnage and lack of industrial
production.
"Fourthly, one of our best assets is
our colonial empire. We have pacified
and established our rule In vast coun
tries, whose natural supplies are enor
nous, and whose populations are will
ing to work, and are loyal, as they
have shown by giving up a total con
tribution of 91S,O00 men during the
war, of which 100000 were fighters
and 238,000 workmen in our war fac
tories. With her possessions Francs
is actually the fourth OF the grea
countries of the world as regards ter
ritory, the fifth as regards population
But we must develop these posses
sions. In order to perform that duty
we want ships. And again. our mel
chant feet has fallen to almost moth
ing.
$50, in order to fulfill her duties
France has two great objects t.
achieve; to rehabilitate her devas
tated regions and to build ships. l
her friends want to help her during
peace as they have helped her durin,
the war, they have two means of as
sisting her to regain her place In tn
society of nations; helping her to re
build which has been destroyed by tn
Germans. and helping her to construc
or purchase ships"