Palisadian., 1924-11-28
HOMES RUINED BY
WAR NOW REBUILT
Reconstruction in France Is
Nearly Completed, u. S.
Is Told.

hington.-According to state
ments given out by authorities in
France, approximately so per cent of
the houses destroyed during the war
had been rebuilt by July of this year;
90 per cent of the damaged canals had
been reconstructed; so per cent of the
trenches used by the troops of both
armies had been filled in, and so per
cent of the damaged factories had
been put in operation, according to the
European division of the Department
of Commerce While to great extent
the repairing Of damages done in the
regions was executed with govern
ment aid, nevertheless, much is due
to the energy and industry of private
individuals and owners.
Agricultural land has been re-
claimed, families have been returned
to their original dwellings and manu-
featuring and mining industries have
been put into operation Since that
time reconstruction has gone forward
at an increasingly rapid rate, and
with nothing intervening to interrupt
the present progress 1t may definitely
be completed before the middle of
1925.
Population Returning.
AS an illustration of the improved
conditions in the ten departments In
cluded in the devastated regions, par
ticular mention may be made of the
figures of Increase in population and
of the statistics issued by official
sources regarding the resumption of
activity in the various branches of in
dustry. The pre-war population Of
the regions under consideration num-
bered 1880, ,1S3, while at the close Of
the war, on November II, 1918. this
had been reduced to 2,O75O67. On
January of this year the popula-
tion amounted to 4,253,677, or only
436,5O6 less than at the opening of
the war. In 3,239 out of 1886 COM
munes the local administration has
been fully reorganized and the num-
ber of public schools and postoffices in
these districts exceeds those of pre-
war years.
Shortly before the close of the war,
as Is well known, a corporation was
organized, known as the Credit Ma
tional," whose purpose was to facili.
tate the repair Of damages caused by
the war. The company was formed
by group of the most important
French banks, with a capital of 100
100000 francs. and it's declared OBJ
ject was the payment in cash of COM
pensation due to those who had suf-
fered damages from the war and to
arrange for the payment of interest
on such advances. Capital required
to pay for war damages was raised
by the issue Of interest bearing obliga-
tions In the form of bonds on which
interest, redemption and premium
charges were guaranteed by the state
the money for such payments heing
included in the French budget Up
to April 80, 1924, claimants had been
paid 54,OOO,OOO,O0O francs. Various
methods of payment were adopted.
Some of the payments were made in
cash, some in kind. others In govern
ment securities.
Damages Runs Into Billions.
January l of this year the total
state liabilities definitely recognized
on claims to individuals within the
devastated regions amounted to g.
500,00O,O00 francs, and there was a
P,,y oP
600 francs connected with contested
decisions. 1t Is expected that an ad-
ditional 160OO.OOO,OOO francs will be
awarded. bringing the total of dam
ages up to approximately S2,50O,00O.-
600 francs. AS will he seen, therefore.
approximately 2S,000.O00 still remain
due to sufferers of the war, after de-
duction of the 54.OOO,OOO,OOO already
paid.
Although the French government is
undertaking the responsibility for
financing reconstruction. consider
able part of the direct burden Of cash
payment has been distributed among
different agencies. The French treas
ury, at the end Of 1923, had furnished
almost 22,000,OO0O00 francs, while the
Credit National had provided another
22,OOO.O 100000 At the end of April
the Credit National had increased its
cash payments to total Of over a.
O0OOOO,OO0, and this, added to the
amounts furnished by the government.
and certain annuity certificates, made
a total Of 54,OOO,OOOOOO francs paid
Fifty per cent Of farming lands
have been restored and three-fourths
of the coal mines are now operating.
Cat Points Ring
Mauch Chunk, Pa.-John Meyer Of