Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-03
FRENCH FACE 1921 WITH
INCREASED CONFIDENCE.
Good Crops. Progress of Restorn-
ton and Reduced Military Ser
vice Boost Optimism.
TO BE LESS BUYING ABROAD
Government Will Take Up Qucs-
ton of Unemployment ut Once
With View To Taking Immediate
Effective Measures.
LEY Assnciatca press |

Z PARIS. Jan. 2.-Whilc the French
people have their worries. yet they
begin the new year immensely moro
Confident than they began 1920 be-
cause OF cxtraordinarv good crops,
Srcrr In restoring the ruined de-
PartInentS OF the North, Il plentiful
supply OF coal and the prospect a
gear hence of having the period OF
military service reduced from three
years 10 eighteen months.
Two foreign sucstions are likely TO
give constant concern 10 The govern
ment throughout the coming year.
They are III" payment of PREPARATIONS
by Germany and the war with Turk :
ish Nationalist over the Syrian and
Cfiician mandates. Then. also. there
tuve OF the Versailles peace treaty.
the league OF nations. and the many
issues growing ont of the peace con-
ference ;u all Of which France has
n very deep concern in what the com
ing year may brin. forth.
Frances Turkish mandates will be
discussed ~ the French. British and
italian Prime Ministers as a part Of
the whole Near Eastern question at
meeting carly in January. France
now has about 7c,eoo troops III Tur-
KEY.
Foreign Buyinc Reduced.
The advance France has made in
reconstruction her wheat crop which
reduces buying abroad by 10000
francs. aud tho continued confidence
OF French investors, as shown hy the
nuprocedentcd success Of the last
loan. are considered as justifying n
alter optimism concerning the III
nancial and economic situation than
IS held at present.
The struggle over the high cost or
living receives Il large share OF pub
lie attention. Resistance OF, mcr-
chants and manufacturers 10 con-
Resulted in something like dead
lock. The buyers abstain from maxi
ME Purchases because they feel that
war prices should no longer he
asked. The merchants hab:tuat"d TO
nrse profits. refuse 10 reduce them
Consequently, prices remain hig-, and
buyers are scarce" Mean mc. the
demands from large Stockholders Of
Terchandisc for renewals OF their
Securities
unemployment Is Increasing.
nioymcnt increasing daily II had
been causing some concern to the
government since October and now
has reached q volun" which officials
measures. Three hundred thousand
workers now arc idlc In France. near
- d4e.noo Of whom are IN Paris. ac
SMn t, to n pn,, nnn9nneed by the
The metal Industries. tho leather
trade; manufacture OF fertile and
clothing and automobiles We're the
nrst TO suffer in France. the Loire
Valley and Paris and vicinity.
Recently the silk industry became
affected and ihc-o are 5000 workers
idle AT LYONS alone, while the per
fumcry dlstill"ries around Paris are
working three days a week.
some OF the large department
stores in rarls have asked for ,X-
TENDED credits. The industry suffer
ing most Is III" leather trade nearly
half Of the hands ordinarily opDlnva1
hciiiS actually out of work Eight
thousand shoemakcrs q; Limog es
alone are idle
Fne question of uncmployment Is
being considered by the Cabinet and
Is 10 he debated In the Chamber Of
Deputies.