The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-01-31

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 dynamited, the work
mems dwellings destroyed.
Sought Annlhilation.
"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.
"Taxes have been raised to an I'M
precedented level. While In 1914 the
total of our national budget was slight
ly above 4,OOO,OOO,OOO francs. the taxes
will have given in 1918, without the
invaded regions, which were as you
know, by far the richest, over 9,00O.-
100000 francs. In 1917 the civil
Ian population in France paid in taxes
$3S per capita, as compared with 50
paid in 1915 by Americans.
"France, before the war, had pub
lie debt of 34,OOO,OO0OO0 francs. The
interior debt has increased, during the
war, by over 10O,000,00O,O00. the
last public loan having produced
q 900, 100000 We have received from
Great Britain and the United States
loans amounting to 25,000,O00,O 900
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 125,O0e 100000
francs, 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 our place In the markets Of the
world. We cannot get our own sup
ply Of coal. We are obliged to main
tain restrictions in order to protect our
industry while In course Of rehabili.
tation, and as long as 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.
"Thirdly, 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.
FOuTIHly, one VI our DeSt dsSctS 10
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 total con-
tribution of 91S000 men during the
war, of which >6SO,00O were fighters,
and 238000 workmen in our war fac
tories. With her possessions France
is actually the fourth Of the great
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 mer-
chant fleet has fallen to almost moth
ing.
$50, in order to fulfill her duties,
France has two great objects to
achieve; to rehabilitate her devas-
tated regions and to build ships. If
her friends want TO help her during
peace as they have helped her during
the war, they have two means of as
sisting her to regain her place in the
society Of nations; helping her to re-
build which has been destroyed by the
Germans, and helping her to construct
or purchase ships"