Evening star., 1923-07-29
BY ANDRE TARDIEU,
Former French High Commissions
to the United States.

Former French High Commissioner
to the United States.
By Cable to The Star.
PARIS, July 2S.-American visitors
to France are more numerous today
than ever before. The writer has had
long talks with many of them-sen-
ators, journalists and business men
and while all do not agree as to
particulars, a general average Of
| their viewpoints points to the belief
that America is beginning to realize
! she soon will need European markets.
The question of surplus, so agon-
izing a one during the war, now is
arising in an opposite form. In 1877
| and 1918 the problem in America was
| to create a surplus for export, for
J Europe was in urgent need of every
| thing. Today the problem is to find
| an outlet for the surplus. estimated
by some American visitors at 10 per
cent, and by others at 20 per cent.
of the nations production. Indeed.
tended to lower the selling price at
times to below the cost of produce
| ton. 1t has sharpened competition,
and by reducing profits to mimi
mum, has forced wage cutting with
iresultinS strikes and lockouts.' There
is only one way to remedy the situa-
| ton, and that is. to sell Europe.
| Lowered Exchange Rates.
| But how can one sell Europe when
| there are three million marks to the
| pound, and the franc itself has lost
| more than two thirds of it's value
with respect TO the dollar. While the
| United States feels impelled to seek
I trnCt0mprS
is not ready, for the time being at
| least, to give financial and political
| aid to help Europe out of Its present
difficulties. No American loans are
forthcoming for countries whose
moneys are deprecated and whose fu-
ture is so uncertain. The United
States will not lend to Germany, nor
will she lend to France so long as
the present imbroglio persists.
There is financial imbroglio and
also political one. All Americans
with whom the writer has talked at
itach as much Importance to the settle
ment of political differences as they
do to the settlement of finances.
lFranco-German, as well as Franco
| British relations. must be straight
ened out before the United States will
be willing to employ its money in
European reconstruction. And such
reconstruction requires financial help
which can come only from the United
| States.
Opinion OF France.
Americans here are astonished that
vigorous France, mistress of the left
bank of the Rhine and of the Ruhr--
one OF the three world centers of
lmetallurgical production-should keep
demanding guarantees of securities
instead of fixing the conditions she
deems indispensable to her safety 1t
is hard for Americans to comprehend
that France feels she is menaced by
Germany. And from this assumption
to the conclusion that Frances ap-
prehension is feigned to cover what
Is called her militarism is but a step.
The writer is convinced that many
OF the present American beliefs are
the result of the campaign of orator
fcal alarm by the French govern
| ment. France has strengthened the
hands of those Americans who be.
lieVe European entanglements" are
fraught with danger by constantly
repeating that Germany, through hel
refusal to pay, is driving France
into bankruptcy and by waving the
spectre of a German attack which
however possible in the future, is
certainly impossible now
III france, in the dark days of 1911.