Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-05-25
so long as he can pursue his way un-

80 long as he can pursue his way un-
disturbed.
Immediately after the armistice, be-
gan the deportations OF which much mas
been heard. Tho French Government
gave the military authorities at that
time the power to deport any person OF
German birth who was considered TO pc
dangerous to the success OF frenon
rule Thousands Of Germans were given
only AS hours or even less In whicn 10
dispose OF their business. collect their
families and goods and leave. Govern
ment figures show the total number OF
dcported to be about $4,000 and the
claim is made that fair notice and CONF
pensation were given In all cases.
Both the figures and the latter as
sertion are denied by popular opinion,
which places the number of deporta-
tons as high as 10000. Nor have the
deportations ceased altogether--more
thorough investigation can be made
now under the administration of the
Commissariat general. and about 20 or
80 cases a month are deported. This
will of course cease in few moro
months
The deportation figures. though large,
| do not account for the decrease In
population which is most noticeable In
the larger cities. AS compared with
! 1910 the losses in the four biggest
cities are as follows: Strasbourg, per
| cent: Mulhouse. Ga per cent; Metz, Fl
! per cent and Colmar Il pes cent. To
| explain this decrease. which is felt in
/ all towns and villages, are war losses
| estimated at As, 900 killed: deported. S3,-
600; the present size of French garrison,
| 81, 900 as compared with former German
| garrison of $4,000; and the inevitable
| emigration due TO industrial depression
| and general lack of prosperity.
An insight into the condition of some
of the important industries of this
region shows that up to now the French
| management has fallen far short of
/ producing anything like the results
! achieved under the German regime.
| Alsace-Lorraine is very rich in mineral
! resources. in a Europe crying for coal
/ the output of these provinces has drop
/ ped from 3.7e5 262 metric tons in 1913 to
! 2,400. 900 in 1920. and that of iron from
1 81 900 900 to s.e0ooo0. OF course all
( German management and technical skill
/ was dispensed with at the end OF the
war. French officiafss say that IL had
been impossible for them to do better
i'm these industries on account of the
amount of repair and reconstruction
needed in the mines, the shorter work
| ing day and labor troubles.
II the French have fallen down in
this branch they have n more successful
record 10 point to in the potash in
dustry. The production fromvh potash
deposits of Alsace in 1920 was four times
the output in 1919. 1t must be remem-
bered in this connection that these de-
posits are Of recent discovery and were
first exploited in 1910.
Reconstruction in Alsace-Lorraine is
now practically at a standstill. Com
pared with other districts in Northern
France the devastation here is not ex-
| tensive, but the need Of rebuilding for
both domestic and industrial use is
keenly felt in such towns as lay in the
path Of war. The French Government
was energetic and prompt in commenc-
ing reconstruction operations in its re
gained territory. counting. of course, on
the indemnity from Germany TO pay
for the completion of their program
But as the reparations recede into tho
uncertain future the government has
had ostop all reconstruction work fn
Alsace- Lorraine.