The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-12-29
MONEY IN FRANCE
If INVESTMENT
sH0W STABILITY
Nation Facing New Year with
Renewed Confidence
LABOR WEARY OF STRIKES
Wage Farmers Not Disposed to Quit
Work Unless Real Grievances
Arise
LABOR WEARY or STRIKE!

4 Paris, Dec. 29.-Franee will begla
! denee than the last This is in spite
cf formidable handicaps such as the
1.-THE balance of trade running against
/ her at the rate of about 1,500,OO0,000
\ francs month, about 80 percent de-
probation of the exchange value Of
| the franc and the consequent difficult
| ty of procuring raw materials and ma
chimes, urgently Needed for reconstruc-
ion
Francs renewed confidence is de
rived directly from the result of the
recent elections These are regarded
heregas, having definitely stabilized in
ternal politics, ended all danger of
revolutionary agitation for some time
10 come and brought about better
attitude BY capital and labor toward
the immense effort before France
Money is forthcoming for invest
ments in anything that promises sta
bility. While investments in short
term treasury bonds are continuing
at the rate of nearly 2000,000,000 Of
francs a month, there is plenty CT
money for industrial and commercial
enterprises and long term loans. The
1000, 600 ,000-franc loan to provide inn
mediate resources for indemnifying
victims of the invasion was over.sub-
scribed before the official opening of
the subscriptions. Important banks
and industrial companies have lately
increased their capital to an aggregate
OF nearly 500.000.000,009 francs.
Transactions on the Paris bourse
which still are confined to cash deals
have exceeded on certain days records
of pre-war trading when futures enter.
ed largely into the totals. The upward
movement of all industries which be-
gan before the Signature OF the treaty
at Versailles has been unchecked by
suceessice liquidations. This is re.
garded by keen observers here as a
sure sign OF economic recovery.
Employers say the labor situation
is improved and that the last strikes
developed symptoms that the workers
themselves were becoming weary of
long continued disturbances of bust
ness, industry and transportation.
They see tendency against frivolous
strikes and an indication that only
real grievances viii induce the wage
aa4ners to quit work hereafter.
Decentralization OF capital and in.
dustry is seen in the establishing in
Normandy o flexible industries to re-
place those hi the occupied territory
destroyed by the war, This movement
has been greatly extended by the de.
veiopment CT wateipower in the re-
gfCu of has & his and ffa canto, ,,,t
south OF France. Industrial leaders
say that no particular region of
France hereafter will monopolze any
industry and declare that this scatter
ing win prove beneficial and result in
q more equable recovery of all parts
OF the country.
Powerful financial groups are at the
head Of movement 70 transfer i'm.
portant industries from the coal region
10 southeastern France where water
power soon will be available. Other
groups are being formed to develop
manufacturing centers near the coast
so as TO reduce the cost of transports.
ting raw materials. Industrial lead.
ers say that this activity On the part
Of capital, supported by the recovery
of labor froniswhat has been character
lied as a wave of "laziness, gives
a healthy tone TO the situation.
Instability OF the exchange value of
the frame is. regarded as one ofSthe
weakest points in French conditions.
1t is pointed out that France cannot
for supplies she needs and that is