The New York herald., 1922-03-12

OF frances commerce with her over
seas domain in 1918. the last year OF
FORMAL values, moro than two-tnirds
came from Africa, and the proportion
is larger now, having been increased by
Frances mandates over Kamerun and
Togo. or 100000 men, combatants OF
workers, supplied to France by TINS
Same domain during the war, 650,ooo'
Of whom SOC, 900 were combatants, came
from Africa.
II our African domain thus consti-
trtes the greatest reservoir OF our over
seas resources It is the only one with
which in time OF war we can be sure oil
maintaining our communications. we
have only to organize a feet OF fast
cruisers, desuoyers. submarines ana sea-
planes to insure, whatever happens. the
freedom OF our communications in the
part OF the occidental Mediterranean
which separates the shores of France
from those OF northern Africa.
But northern Africa is only part
Of our African empire, not the largest
part. but until now the richest because,
being provided with European settlers
and a railroad system nearly adequate,
about two-thirds of its cultivable area
has been put to use. Beyond the Sahara
which is not at all the sea or sand TOO
many Frenchmen imagine 1t, open the
long, wide valleys of the Senegal. the
Niger, the Ubangi, the Shari. the ex-
tensive plains of Chad, those "Black
indies" as r. M. de vogiie called them,
which contain inexhaustible resources,
still undeyeloped, in the way OF men,
cattle, raw materials, textile products
and foodstuffs, undreamed of wealth
which needs only means Of transporta-
ton to be made available.
In the bitter economic struggle In
which even our allies are redoubtabie
competitors, in the more tragic strife
into which new world war could
plunge US, are we rich enough to leave
unexploited the resources of central
Africa? Are we strong enough to risk
being deprived Of those 10000 black
fighters it supplied to US, a number which
in a few years will exceed 500. 900? ",
1--WE are people OF 10o.00o,O00 men.
never ceased to repeat an illustrfous
General who was one Of the most mag
niffcent organizers OF our victory. Fine
words. but likely to remain mere words
unless we hasten to make use OF the
soil as well as the human capital Of
equatorial Africa. IL we fail in this
we shall remain nation OF thirty Of
| forty millions of men with birth rate
stationary or falling. facing a Germany
with from sixty to sixty-three. million
souls. with a birth rate always growing.
Consider the economic phase Of the
| matter also Who does not recognize
the major, Importance Of the cotton
question and does not look with anxiety
| to the approaching crisis? 1t is we whs
| are threatened most. Before the wal
we imported from $500 to 100000
| tons of cotton, ALMOST all OF which came
| from America and which cost us about
sec, 900, 900 francs year. To-day the
same quantity Of cotton would cost twice
as much. Tomorrow our supply may
be cut off, for America tends more anc
more to reserve for her own needs the
| largest part OF the crop, and of course
the best cotton. Where, then, could Wa
obtain the cotton needed by. our numer.
Gus mills If the American supply should
cease?
If, on the other hand, we had rail
road TO carry our supplies We could
easily find in our central Africa, alons
the Senegal. the Niger, the Shari and ir
certain regions of the Chad moro thar
$500, 900 acres OF land suitable for cot
ton culture. It would therefore only b'
necessary to develop the cotton grow