The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1919-04-18
BY LLOYD ALLEN.
Western Newspaper Union Stan Cor.
rea0ordeot

|
y changed the character Of France as
a nation. changed her economic situa
lion. altered her outlook on the world
and turned the whole future Of the
country toward industrialism rather
han agriculture.
The France OF today has new ideals
that were undreamed Of In 1914. Only
one big characteristic Of the pre-wnr
lays remains. and that liz the unalter-
able and deep-rooted fear Of Germany,
fear bred by generations Of worry
that started long before 1870 and that
aas imprinted itself on French char
acter ms mark that will endure for
decades to come.
Dread Of the German will not pre-
vent the French from embarking on
national career Of prosperity and
will not prevent France from trading
with Germany--they must trade with
their old enemy. Il Is vital neces-
dty: II cannot be arranged otherwise
Tor the ample reason that Germany
stlil holds her supremacy as the big
coal producing nation of Europe
While France has some coal she must
still depend on Germany for some
thing like $4,000. 900 tons a year even
after the supposedly rich coal fields
Of Aisnce-L Lorraine 60 ~ France. az
they undoubtedly will in the peace
treaty.
It's going to be \ rather strange
situation between the French and Ger.
mans France will lack coal and the
Germans will lack iron.
France will sell iron to the Germans
and get coal In return.
Immediate Problems Mighty.
While the somewhat distant future
In very bright for France the imme-
date problems she must solve are
mighty. She has the beginning of her
new Industrial system In the form OF
= series Of factories that made mu-
nitions during the war.
Her former industries are smashed.
At the first German invasion France
lost so per cent Of her wooden Indus
try. % per cent Of her sugar mills, four
bfths Of her coal production, four
hfths Of her iron and steel output and
four fifths Of her coke. The Germans
struck France right through the heart
Of her Industrial region. Today this
section II for the most part waste.
With the beginning of the peace con-
Terence France was out Of essential
raw materials. She was In a situa-
ton altogether different from England
ana America. She had no chance of
starting out to build up foreign trade
ana for that reason was anxious TO
have the allies maintain their blockade
against the ncutrals and the central
powers as long as possible. America
and England on the other hand knew
that the peace Of the world must de-
pend as much on the resumption Of
normal trade rs upon any strictly po-
litlcal action.
Germany Needs Raw Matsriaia
Unless raw materials are pushed In.
- Germany the German factories can.
aot run and Germany cannot pay the
Indemnity the peace conference will
place on her shoulders. Unless the
factories OF Germany are permitted to
operate the German civilians viii not
hive work and II a large problem of
unemployment develops, the revolu-
uonary elements~-that n the very rad
teal revolutiontsts>will overthrow
whatever government the Germans
now have set up and the German sig
aaturc ON the peace treaty will be null
and void.
Out OF these conditions tho French
governments policies were naturally
vamped along entirely different lines
from the American and British pol
icies. II was impossible for France
TO plan for the future as America and
England would. As consequence
there was a great divergence OF ideas
during the early days of the peace
conference that was more or less mis-
understood by Americans In France
and caused an undue amount OF crit
tcism to be launched against French
methods and French statesmen.
Tho French for instance passed.
governmental resolution about the
middle Of January that practically
topped the importation OF American,
English. and other foreign manufac.
.ured articles into the country. this at
time when the average American was
thinking and talking of the closer
trade relations that would spring up
between France and America as a re-
sult OF the two nations having fought
ide by side In the war.
American Firm Hit.
One OF tho FIRST American Arms hit
" the resolution was the manufacture
y OF well-known automobile. This
arm had several thousand cars In
france ordered for war purposes by
the French government. IL was i'm.
possible to sell the cars to civilians,
sincc such a move would be the cause
Of French money leaving the country.
II money left the country the French
financial situation suffered according
10 the amount spent abroad. The rate
- exrhanus VIVA already N uipSt tha