The New York herald., 1922-04-23
Reconstruction of France Has
Done Wonders in Some Sections;
War Blight Handicaps Farming

Progress has. of course, varied in
the different districts. In the Aisne,
for instance, where the number OF
claims was 3Ss,75s. the average num-
ber heard up to last August was at
the rate of 1925 per month, and
there also it is hoped to have them
completed by the end of the present
year, while somewhat similar figures
and hopes apply to the Somme.
the vosges and the Marine, the slow
est SO far seeming to be the Pas de
Calais.
without wading too deeply into the
enormous sea Of official figures COW
ering tho whole of the devastated
area a very vivid picture OF the ma
terial results achieved may be had by
considering two of the departments
which were among the heaviest suf-
ferers.
OF them the Nord stands preemi-
nent. seeing that It suffered 5S per
cent. of all the industrial Manage. II
per cent. of the non-industrial and %
per cent. OF all the damage done to
the mines of all France. But just as
its damages were heavier. SO the work
Of reconstruction has gone forward
faster than elsewhere.
Throughout the war more than
100000 hectares in all were fought
over, covering some 600 communes.
which include such names as Lille,
| Armentieres, Roubaix, Tourcoing, Ha-
zebrouck, Douai. Valenciennes. Dun
keroue and Bailleul. In this depart
ment, accordingly, the efforts Of the
Government have been especially di-
rected toward restoring industrial life.
| Factories Completely Destroyed.
Take frs the debit side OF the
account. Out of 426,000 houses in the
department $4,000 were completely
and 5000 partially destroyed. In 90
communes there were more than 30
per cent OF damages; in 80 there were
between 40 per cent. and 30 per cent;
in 81 others there were up to 40 per
cent. Factories everywhere were de-
stroyed, even more completely than
the houses, seeing that they were de-
stroyed scientifically and of set pur-
| pose, while the houses had the luck
Of the falling SHE'LL Thus. in the
| Fourmies district out of IS factories
only could be used, even partially,
without being entirely rebuilt and re-
fitted. And the same applies to every
district; sugar works. distillcries.
tanneries. printing paper, glass, tex
| tiles-everytfing was methodically
destroyed. AS to means of communi-
cation, especially important in an in
dustrial district: out of 1857 kilome-
ters Of road 1850 were practically de-
stroyed: out OF 252 bridges not one
was left: 257.65S hectares of land were
pitted with shell holes, shelters and
what not; 1887 kilometers OF barbed
wire had to be removed and 5,455
kilometers Of trenches.
Consider now what has been done.
First and foremost, OF the population
driven out before the armies more
than 100000 families. including alto
gether nearly 100000 individuals. have
returned to their homes. Out of the
400, 900 ravaged hectares only 5000
are still out of cultivation--an amaz-
ing figure. OF the sos communes
practically wiped off the map tho
practical reconstruction work has now
been finished in 125 and all the others
are well on the way to completion.
Houses, huts and provisional dwell
, ings in general to the number of more
than 10000 have been set up; $4,000
wells. new and old. are now available.