Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-03
CHARGES OF GRAFT
ABOUND IN FRANCE
Socialist Accusations Claim Big
Leakage in Funds for
Restoration.
GIVE FALSE IMPRESSION
Amount Small When Magnitude of
Task Is Considered.
BY ANDRE TARDIEU,

By Radio to The Star
PARIS, February 2.-Events Of the
past week in the chamber Of deputies
have confirmed the opinion of many
| observers that the Poincare govern
ment acted too hastily and in too hap
hazard a manner In improvising its
program of new fiscal legislation on
the morrow Of the panic of January
IA. For after twelve days of de-
bate. the governments main pro-
posals have not yet even come up
for discussion. Instead, the debate
has revolved about revision of in
IDENTITIES for war damages in ten
| devastated departments. concerning
which the socialists have raised the
cry of scandal"
Is one concerning which Americans
should have a clear understanding.
Here are the facts:
In the ten departments under dis
,cussion. obstruction was complete.
Six hundred thousand houses were
| RACED. 10000 factories were ruined,
5000 miles of railroad and $4,000
| miles of highway were destroyed,
about 100000 acres of agricultural
land were rendered unfit for the
plow.
Value Of Region.
This region before the war fur
nished "a per cent of Frances wool
ems, 80 per cent of her ore, 90 per
cent Of her linen and thread. so per
cent of her steel, 20 per cent of her
| sugar, 60 per cent of her cotton
goods, 55 per cent Of her coal and AZ
! Per cent of her electric power. 1t
paid about 20 per cent of the total
| taxes.
| Since the armistice reconstruction
has been practically complete so far
| as roads, railroads, factories and ag-
! riculture are concerned. On the
other hand, 1t Is unfinished in respect
TO houses. cattle and personal prop
| erty. Indemnities so far have cost
$500 ,000.O00 francs, and about 90
000.0OO.000 francs are yet to be spent.
All this has been done under the
law OF 1919. providing for complete
uations. plus supplementary costs,
such as increa sed prices These
claims have been passed upon in
! each district by cantonal commits
sions. which have examined about
case to determine The is14 value. then
nX the coefficient representing the
diHerence in money value. Naturally.
as these coefficients were based on
PpeeVailing prices any figure true in
N. a.
pending on whether prices had risen.
fallen or remained stationary in the
meantime.
Some Abuses Likely.
The socialist party has made GER
tam CRITICISMS against some of these
allowances or course, it is unde-
ted and mat =, e; errors have been commit
Deen some abuses. But it should be
noted that the socialists Criticisms
apply to less than 500 claims out Of
Iotal or more than 100000.
Is against 500 Of the biggest claims
onn en-, they say total about 10000
Ooo.ooo francs But even so. that
means that frauds are suspected of
sat.i ins 70 only IL Der cent Of the
tptal damages And. as they charge
that the frauds amount to 5000. 900
per cent Of the total Of sa .ets Sxe5
That Is what they call the scandal
OF the devastated regions"
put whether there has been fraud
or only error-and even If it is only
per cent-every Frenchman agrees
.nat IT must be rectified. But the
this debate has been enveloped have
spread a false and unjust impression
In France and abroad that all
frances reconstruction has been rot
zen wath graft Tomorrow her enc
| opCH secret, WIFI
cry that she has padded her figures.
oasing their declarations on what is
being said in the chamber and for
getting that what France claims for
reparations Is less than what John
Maynard Keynes himself said she
was entitled to receive.
The French government, by a clear,
firm policy. many believe. could have
prevented such a campaign and by
real leadership kept the chamber dis
cussion within the bounds of fact,
Unfortunately. Premier Poincare's
government has not fulfilled this
duty 1t steadfastly refused any
revision of war damages until the
panic Of January IA. Then 1t de-
manded such revision itself, and the
debate opened with this govern
mental contradiction as starter,
whence came the perilous confusion.
There have doubtless been mis-
takes. perhaps abuses, but there is
no scandal" And the work'of re-
construction tomorrow, as yesterday.
will do honor to France.
Copyright 1924