Evening star., 1928-04-29
A New France Arises

/ Southwestern wild lands" have been
found To be particularly adaptable.
Although we have no figures on Amer
ican capital in the colonial empire. there
can be no doubt that good portion or
our heavy investments in the mother
country have indirectly reacted upon
the development of the overseas pos
sessions In fact. this has probably ac-
counted i'm part for the truly amazing
figures Of American holdings In France
and of French securities. which rose
from $75.000.0 900 In 1918 To more than
$3.50. .000. 900 last year.
With our rapidly increasing industrial
development, America Is coming more
and more To the fore as the leading
market for the largest single share OF
the worlds tropical raw materials. II Is
therefore, not surprising THAI our i'm
porters are looking to the extensive
French possessions for many necessary
supplies Since 1913 our purchases d.
sixfold--from $4,000. 900 to nearly
SIS SOC. 900 in 1927.
VIII Take More Products.
AS In the case of exports, very large
part, perhaps the ma Ior portion. OF our
lmports from the French colonies comes
by way of the mother country and,
ures. AS the standard Of living and the
Industrial necessities Of the United
States continue TO grow. we shall be TAX
ing steadily larger portion Of such
essentials as rubber. eaca0. vegetable
oils. coffee and spices from the French
empire.
In the case Of rubber the recent in
veatigationS Of the Department OF Com
merce as TO the possibilities OF securing
a larger proportion Of our crude supplies
from territory outside the influence OF
the British restriction policy revealed
encouraging possibilities In French
Indo- China. where climatic and labor
conditions are promising.
An important angle OF the future ex-
panslon of the empire Is In connection
with the growth Of investments of cap
ital from the homeland In the colonies
Before the war. Russia was by far the
most attractive foreign field for French
capital. which had nearly $2.300. .0O0. 900
invested there. With the complete elm
nation OF Russia as an investment field.
at least for some time To come. there
has been evident diversion of French
investments to the colonies and we may
expect rapid increase In these.
Strictly speaking, the New World does
not enter into the picture OF the new
economic French empire, with the cX-
ception OF the very small and CONNER
cially unimportant island possessions
and Guiana,
In = larger sense. however, Latin
America Is beng kept distinctly In view
in the general development Of these
overseas economic programs. The COM
bination fast ship and air service be-
tween Parts and Buenos Aires Is linked
up with the trafflc across the African
possessions, Furthermore. there are
steadily increasing commercial and
financial interests of the French. with
consequently substantial French COM
mercial colonies. In most Of the Latin
republics. notably In Brazil, Argentina.
Chile and Mexico,
Would Bind Markets.
The program for binding the impor~
tant competitive markets Of southern
South America directly with Paris by
this new subsidized service In Of unusual
interest The service consists Of an air
link from Paris To nakar. at tho vest
ernmost tip OF French West Africa,
thence by seaplane to the Cape Verde
Islands tthree and one~half hours NY
ing time). then by fast boat TO the Is
land of Noronha. OF the brazilian coast
tabout three days., and thence by air
The running time on the tirst through
trip was IL days Eventually. II Is exs
pected 10 make the run IN ia days
about third Of the time required by
the usual steamer service, The best
steamer service from New York 10
nuen0s Aires Is about 10 days.
The chief commercial importance of
the service Is IN the very substantial
savings IN interest through the quick
transmission Of trade doeumenta. seotlri-
ties, etc. which will run into millions
each year, The notable advantage which
the French and ether European enter.
prizes viii enjoy over their American
enmpetitaRa Ia the brazilian and Afgen-
tine trade because of this factor can
readily be appreciated
Thus far French postwar trade with
Latin America has not Jared partlcu~
lary well, In fact, In no case II It's aes
tuRl volume up Ia pre~waR fisnres in-
deed, IN spite ot greatly Increased prices
French sales To Brazil and Chile are ha-
low those of pre~waF yeafa IN value,
while those 10 the Argentine have Ahown
only 4 slight increase.
with the colonial markets assuming q
steadily increasing part In the economic