Evening journal., 1919-04-22
SCARS IN FR lNCE
NOT SOON HEALED
U. S. Expert Says She Needs
Fifteen Years for Indus
try to Recover
SAY VANDALISM
Is "HORRIBlE''

WASHINGTON, April 22.-Boehe van
dalism in France and Belgium Will
exert an influence In the industrial ac-
! tivities Of those two nations for at
least twelve to fifteen years, even
though the rehab.tat.ons OF the wreck
/ ed mines and factories may be ply
sically completed in i've years.
Thi Is the conclusion announced
here by Frank II. p obert, consulting
eng neer Of the Bureau Of Mines,
United States Department OF the In
! terror, dean OF the college Of mining
niversity OF California, who has
/ Just returned 10 Washington from a
/ personal investigation Of industrial
conditions in France end Belgium as
member OF a special commission TO
study the damage wrought by the Ger
mans.
80 systematic and dlabolical has
been the destruction in one great coal
mining region" Mr.. Probert said, that
IL will take 1--WE years 10 rehablitate
this district, and IL will be twelve TO
fifteen years before IL gets back TO
normal pre-war output"
Mr.. Probert predicted that by her
''indomitable spirit, France. in spite OF
the fearful destruction 10 her steel
works, will become eventually,
through the return of Alsace and Lor-
ralne, the dominant factor in the
future steel industry OF Europe"
During the German occupation the
iron mines were not intenslvely eX-
plotted Mr.. Prob IT said, because
Of the necessity OF recruiting every
able-bodled man into the Teuton army
and on account OF the large accumu-
lation OF war minerals In preparation
for the war. The actual physical dam
age 10 the iron min 5 is comparatively
small when compared to the destruc-
ton Of the coal fields OF northern
France, which Is as reprehensible as
Il Is complete. Only In a few cases,
where pillars have been robbed In the
mines, is thee any collapse Of under
ground workings, but the equipment,
both surface and underground, has
been misused and where ore has been
mind the lack OF development will de-
fer realization OF capital until the ex-
plorat0ry work Is sufficiently advanced
TO admit OF daily output approXimating
pre-yvar conditions.
The mines are not seriously Grip
pied. but what OF the steel plants In
which the iron o'es are smelt-d2 In
my opinion no such atrocity was ever
perpetrated against the industrial life
OF any country. MAGNIFICENT plants
comparing favorably with anything we
have in the United States, are now but
a tangled, twisted mass OF structural
iron and broken stone. The willful
demolition was scientifically planned
and Systematically carried out. This az
ter The removal OF all such mechanical
and electrical power units as could be
used by Germany. The maliciousness
and efficiency with which this crime
against French industry was carried
out Is almost unbelievable.
In the coal district OF Pas de Calais
snd Nord, q sector fought over from
the beginning to the end Of the war,
changing hands and frequently bonn
barded all the time. all surface struc-
lures whether OF .own, village or min
ing enterprise have been razed. Per-
haps this may be legitimate warfare.
but Il is horrible to look upon now
since the guns are silenced and the 4
frenzy OF combat is past Arras, Douai, 1
DEAluuts Ddldllllts Ltlet LulSt hull- ]
riere, centers Of coal mining activity /
but a few years ago and the main /
springs Of French industrial life. are |
gone, but the indomitable spirit OF /
France survives and already plans are /
laid for the future. Briuex at the west /
ern edge OF the known coal flelds was /
not in the lighting zone, and its output 1
has been steadily maintained. but go
Ing eastward the frightfulness Is more /
and more appalling, for the hate Of the .
Hun left its mark on the mines during |
his forced retreat.
The coal measures are overlain by
strata, necessitating spe-
rial methods Of shaft sinking and sup /
port 10 keep the mines dry. The steel /
lining OF the shafts was dynamited.
letting In the quicksands and flooding |
the underground workings for miles
around. In the entire Pas de Calais re-
gion IL is estimated that i20,0O0,000 !
cubic meters Of water must be pump
ID before mining operations are resum-
ed. Having flooded the mines, the head
'rames and surface equipment were
Systematically dynamited, the twisted
lebris in many cases 1lling up the de-
nolished shafts"