Evening star., 1920-06-20
TRADE WITH FRANCE PICKING UP


needs and peculiarities of the dealers,
who are rather conservative and
somewhat timid In the face of pos
sible risks, are In general rather bet
ter adapted to the work, Vice Consul
Williams believes, than would be ar
American agent unfamiliar with leea'
conditions
1t Is also extremely important that
the agent should be quite cenversant
with the French language, as Eng
iish Is confined to narrew circle In
that consular district.
Unfortunately the rate of exchange,
to say nothing of the Increased cost
of materials, transportation difficult
ties, labor shortage and other draws
backs, have hampered and discouraged
to large extent at Its commence
ment this disposition on the part of
Limoges dealers to regard with more
favor the proposition of direct trade
with United States firms
There Is large demand for leath-
er, food products, agricultural tools
and machinery, machines of other
kinds, lard veaetable oils, canned
foods, petroleum, chemical products.
wood and many other articles. There
would be q good opening for Ameri-
can importatiens In all of these lines
If the rates of exchange were favor
able and if the American goods could
be obtained under trade condition
locality-delivery on short notice and
more favorable credit system,
American shippers are particularly
interested in the improvements to
the port Of La Pal
Develoninp Part lice, which Is the
-. deep water port
Of La Pallice. Of La Rochelle,
with q view to developing the eco
nomio life Of that port for future
years. The estimated cost Of the i'm
provement Is about s20.o72.o00 at
normal rates of exchange, and IL to
cover a period Of twenty years. The
French government Is to pay about
one-third of the cost and the city OF
La Rochelle the rest.
Early in August. 1919. the first ship
reached that port with American cat
tie, which were destined for the de-
vastated districts Of northern France.
The 1876 head Of cattle imported
cows. 266 heifers, SO bulls and 333
calves. The 10l American vessels
which entered the port in 1919 repre-
sented one-fourth of the total en-
tered. They discharged a cargo of
5G1.725 tons, approximately. one-half
of the cargo imported. -
The success of one American con-
Germ that started operations in France
to give closeup service, after over
coming series of trying obstacles,
has increased the confidence Of the
French people in American Industrial
enterprise and efficiency.
The American Car Company operat-
ing the works left in La. Rochelle by
the 35th United States
American Engineers met with
many difficulties owing
Car ohops. to the fact that they
had to train an entire force OF mex
perienced French workmen. which re-
tarded the production for the first few
The American director took
over the car shops on April 1, 1918,
and one of the most important, prob
lens which confronted him was to
establish system to economize la
bor - - s.e.
Then, as soon as it was judged that
the workmen were sufficiently trained,
all erection operations were put on
a piece-work basis. This enabled the
workmen to earn from two to three,
times their daily rate of pay by I'm
creasing production. After this sys-
tenn had been well introduced, no
further trouble was experienced with
labor unrest, and the output was in
creased until forty-one cars have
been built in an eight-hour shift on
one erection track. =
When the director took over the
car plant. 10000 tons of material
were on hand and 10000 tons were
stacked on the La Palliee docks, max.
ing unloading of boats a slow opera
tion, due to the congested condition.
For the unloading, checking and de-
livering of material and for mechani-
cal operation of the plant, a force of.
700 to 1000 men was required. The
forces OF these shops handled dur
ing the year approximately $4,000
tons of material in building approxi-
mately 1000 cars of various, types.
WILL p. KENNEDY.