Evening star., 1926-11-21
FRANCE MAY SEND
IMMIGRANTS HOME
WOrkmen Who Fiocked to Re-
public After War Face
Repatriation Order.
BY WILLIAM BIRD.

By RadiD to The Star.
PARIS, November 20.-Three mil
lion foreign laborers-chiefly Poles
Italians, Spaniards and Czechs-stand
in danger Of repatriation which
means expulsion from France and re-
turn to the economic uncertainties OF
their home countries.
The recent business depression In
France due to the sudden ascent in the
exchange value of the franc is the
source Of this threat. The French au-
thorities are anxious to avoid the un-
employment difficulties experienced by
England, Germany, Denmark and
other countries since the reValorlZa-
ton of their money. They believe
that the easiest way to accomplish 1t
is to get rid Of the surplus foreign
labor
Foreign laborers fiocked to France
Immediately after the peace treaty.
Reconstruction of the devastated
regions, repair and rebuilding of rail-
roads and highways and other pub
lie works that had been allowed to
deteriorate during the war created
demands for labor that France, with
her depleted population, could not
meet. The influx began on a large
scale in 1920, and thanks to the de-
cline of the franc and the consequent
fiourishing condition of manufacture
ing industries has been continuing
ever since.
Recruiting System Introduced.
Most Of the laborers counted them
selves lucky to get a chance to leave
their own Impoverished and over
populated lands to come to France,
where labor was scarce, work plenti-
full and wages and living conditions
relatively good. Nevertheless, spon-
taneous immigration did not ade-
ouately meet the demand for workers
and French industry actually sent re-
cruiting agents to many countries tc
stimulate the migration with rosy
promises.
A great deal ,of labor was imported
under contract and while those who
accepted the proposals always knew
that when the work gave out they
would have to return to their own
countries, they gave little thought to
that remote contingency. They came
and brought their families and house
hold goods-when they had any-and
have established themselves in their
new 'Patrie" with every intention of
remaining here permanently.
The order of repatriation" when it
cones-and economic experts think it
cannot be far off-will cause a great
deal of misery. In most cases eco.
nomic conditions have not improved
perCeptibly in the native countries
of these laborerS and finding work or
even finding a place to exist in, will
for many of them be extremely diff
f1cult.
Italy Already Overcrowded.
Italy, With the American outlet
closed. is every year producing more
population that it has room for, and
if scores Of thousands are repatriated
from France, it will add seriously to
1talY'S subsistence problem. The same
is true of Poland and in varying pro-
portions Of the other principal coun-
tries affected.
The French viewpoint is not diff
f1cllt to understand. 1t simply means
that the French believe that if there
are not enough jobs to go round,
Frenchman should have first call.
This leaves the foreign laborers de.
pendent on government doles and the
Franch hold that it is their own gov.
ernment'S duty rather than the
French government to look after
them.
In another way, however, many
Frenchmen believe that a mistake will
be made if repatriation" is indulged
In too freely. Frances native popula-
tion is dwindling and it is held neces-
sary to infuse new blood by way Of
immigration. Many Of the laborers
who have come from foreign countries
are in the way Of becoming good
trenchmen, especially in the second
generation. 1t has already been urged
that the French naturalization laws
should be amended to permit more rap
ld naturalization of immigrants.
Many are urging that the economic
depression will at the worst be tempo.
rarT, that subsequently there will be
new demand for foreign labor which
might he difficult to obtain, and that
on the whole the best plan would be
10 keep the present immigrants. even
at some sacrifice, until the difficulty Is
over -
But those who hold this farsighted
opinion are relatively few and it is
likely that the exodus will shortly be.
gin II the franc continues at high
levels. :.