The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-10
DIVIDED IN OPINION


They ara divided In opinion "a to
ehs best policy TO insure early and
Aomplete reconstruction They must
haHe money and materials bafore they
- begin They cannot get tho mon
- thay nNed until the amount OF
Insanity they are to receive from
Germany fn rcparatton Ia agreed
upon, and the treaty Of peace signed
But, although almost DESTROYS Of an
eariv peace. so that the Industrial life
q the nation may be fully resumed at
- eariy date AZ possible by making
dau1ands which the other allies AMI
thN United States considered exorbi-
TINT and beyond thu ability of Ger
mnny to pAy. they hAvs delayed peace
ana consequently h&ve delayed also
- restofat4on NJ the AsvaStated area.
fhe AmerIcans IN Paris have en-
Aeavored from the drst to convfncs
than that II was to the interest OF
France to accept reasonable rcpara-
tson and have the reconstruction WORK
start, but the French were not TO
- persuaded Chat it was TO their m
tseaGt to agree to any reduction IN
their claims. There were some phases
OF the French attitude toward recon
struction which ware positively irrf-
tntinx to members Of the American
hieh commission and the prominent
American ftnAncfers who were assist
An4 the commission
MUST HUY IN FRANCE
par Instance. q progressive manu-
nncturer in valenc4nnee. whose faceo-
~ had been looted OF all It's machin-
cry by the Germans, contracted for
neyv machinery In the United States.
Before I let France. word had come
from the American arm that II was
ready to ship the machinery. The
Fxench government refused to permit
tho machinery to come to France The
manufacturer was Informed that ne
mun bury his machinery In France.
He replied that he tried to do 70, au.
had found that 1t Was NOT to De had,
TO this the French officials replied
that he must wait until France could
supply the machinery.
This instance came to the attention
e soma Of the leading Americans in
ParfA One of them who had resided
In Paris for many years and was well
Known By most Of the statesmen,
made II his business to 60 to them
and argue tho advfsiabiIity OF their
changing their attitude. The argu-
mont he used was that II the factory
were permitted to start up at once
with American equipment. work
would Be given to a largo number OF
pepplo who woro without it They
would get wages which they would
spend. thus helping other trade in
the city and Substantial AID would be
xArun toward the restoration OF norm
q lfe IN valcencdnnes.
ARGUMENT UNAvAHIvG
Xho argument WINS unnvafifng. The
sssanufActurer was denied the priv
1ege Of importing the American ma
closed.
personaIay suux4,t out some NOR
~ prcminence In Paris who thought
might enlighten me as to the reason
The explanation I received was thai
the French fnanciers had decided te
embargo nj Importation of finished
products into France on the theor,
that IL the balance Of trade agains
/ France became any greater than !,
was. the certain result would be the
further depreciation of the French
francs which had already fallen Il
- cents American money. II tina
occurred, the feared panic might b.
brought on. And, 30 as to keep q.
much gold and silver as possible II
France, II was decided that finished
products from other countries mus
bs kept out of France even II res
toration and the resumption OF bust
mes were delayed.
asked one Of Americas leadinf
flnanciers what he thought OF thi
policy Of the French--was 1t sound
He answered that he not only though
1t unsound. but foolish to the las
degreo.~
r. sAmbtaer interesting instance of tn.
French fear that outside competition
would prevent the upbuilding o
France industrially was that Of tn,
four thousand or more Ford car,
which had been ordered by tn,
French government Tor war purposes
and which had arrived. but had no
been put to use up to the ttme tn,
axmisticc was signed. Mr.. Ford Of
a fared IN release the French govern
ment from In obligation to pay fc
the cars II he were permitted Il
mAxkct them IN France at prfct
which, ~ NOW recall. was tire,
{CcuGtnasd o PAS Twe.a