Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-21
OUR|STSLEAv|NG
FRANCE IN HORDES
Expressions Of, Dislike for
Americans Has Bad Effect.
Cuba Sees Chance.
BY j. g. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, July 21.--France not
only is being disrupted internally by
the fall of the franc, but she is rap
idly eliminating herself as a factor in
the foreign trade of the United States.
This, however. will affect this coun-
try only to minor degree. since
France is an agricultural nation and
absorbs no tremendous amount of
American foot stuffs, which are espe-
cially important from foreign trade
point of view at this season of the
year.
Exporters here made it plain today
that in their estimation no customer
is a good customer who cannot pay
and who does not want to pay. They
take this attitude entirely apart from
their views on the settlement of the
French government debt to the United
States
Care Not for 1. O.. us.
French manufacturers have made 1t
plain that affairs have reached point
where they cannot pay for raw mate
rails and holding foreign l. o. us
with payment date uncertain is a
pastime which has ceased to appeal
to business men and farmers.
rush of tourists back from France al
ready has begun. This congestion of
traffic usually does not make it's APP
pearance until the middle Of August
or later. 1t is pointed out In connec.
ton with the free expressions Of dis.
like to which American tourists have
been subjected that since the war
France has CLEANED a profit from
American tourists which totals al
least as much as she is asked to pay
under the debt settlement agreement
for years to come.
some bankers see approaching a
condition in France which NAV an.
proximate that Of Germany, when the
mark was so low that 1t could hardly
be discerned with the naked financial
eye and the situation in Mexico when
a half dozen issues of fiat money
were in circulation. At those periods
business men all over the world prac.
tically ceased to do business in marks
or pesos and IL they sold anything at
all demanded payment in pounds or
dollars.
Cuba Sees Opportunity.
Cuba stands ready to leap at the
opportunity to secure the tourist
business which may be alienated from
France. The government commits.
! sion appointed by President Machado
and headed by Augustin Aguero al.
ready has started wide campaign to
attract travellers from America to the
| Pearl of the Antilles. Senior Aguero
who sails Saturday to report to the
| Cuban chief executive, has arranged
| for a marked increase and improve.
ment in steamship service between
American ports and Havana, and is
ireceiving the hearty cooperation of
American railroads, even those Of the
Far West.
| This will result In an increased
number of vessels on the Havana. run
closer train and steamship connec
tions at American ports and ,inaugu
/ ration of short and not expensive
steamship tours which will make the
rounds of the Caribbean.
Senior Aguero has made it plain
| to business men here that his com,
mission is distinctly a government
affair and is exploiting no business
opportunities. All it seeks to do is
to induce tourists to visit the island
and all it has to sell them is climate
historical interest and that spirit OF
! Latin gayety which is as marked In
Havana as on the slopes of Mont
| martre.
Good for Auto Trade.
One of the chief features of Ameri
can foreign trade today is the export
of manufactured goods, notably auto
mobiles. Capt. f. w. Rickenbacker
vice president of the RickenbackeI
Motor Car Co., who has just com
pleted survey of the South, declared
| in dispatch received today:
! Cuba is a particularly bright spot
| for the automobile industry. The
island has population of 3.500,00(
and only 35 900 automobiles. It's gov
eminent has the confidence of thu
people and is doing everything in its
| power to attract outside capital II
| is developing good roads all over the
island and now is at work on a 700
mile highway running the entire
length Of the island"