Evening star., 1933-01-01
Government Also Undertakes
to Cut Down Food Prices
for Unemployed.
NOTE ISSUE INCREASES
FRENCH NATIONAL DEBT
Finance Minister Cheron Refuses to
Discuss Proposals for Balancing
the Budget.
Special Dispe .ch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
NEW YORK, December 31.-Cables
and wireless dispatches to the Business
Week give the following survey Of busi-
ness abroad for the week ending to-
day:
Berlin.-Germans are getting O lot of
comfort cut Of their radios these days.
Since the Reichstag wouldn't possibly
listen to Won Schleicher's program
speech (though 1t has given him a
months time in which to get his pro-
gram under way), most Germans got
their first clear idea Of what was ahead
IN the way of government policy when
the new chancellor talked over ma
tionsl hook.up before Christmas,
This week Won Schleichers "job ere
alton" commissioner turned to the radio
to broadcast his first plans. There il
immediate government aid to bring
down prices on essential foods for the
unemployed. Coal freight rates are
also reduced. More money (nearly
l25,00o,0 ,00o) has been appropriated to
help find new jobs.
Coal Production Gains.
One of the most successful Of the
relief schemes Is the one which pro-
vides 20 per cent refund OF total
costs to any one making repairs on his
home during the Winter. The fund
already Is absorbed and the orders are
being placed with contractors. Results
should be felt soon.
Coal production and sales are both
up: The industry now Is inclined to
look back to September as the abso-
lutte bottom Of the depression.
A good sign Is the revived interest
this year In holiday buying. Christmas
trade was far ahead of last year. despite
the fact that most shoppers were after
inexpensive bargains. Theaters and the
Winter sports industries are doing the
best business they have had since the
depression got under way.
There Is special American interest In
the report from Opel Motors tnow con-
trolled by General Motors). While pro-
duction is below the total for last year,
Opel motor sales are gaining a larger
share of the German domestic mar
ket. On the export market they are
expected to do 10 per cent of this years
business. Last year they sold only about
81 per cent Of all German motor ex-
ports.
Also of interest to Americans is the
report from official sources in Berlin
that American oil imports are losing
ground to the Soviet product. Imports
Of crude and refined Oil from Russia in
1880 made up only u per cent of the
total; in 1881 it was 2o9 per cent and
In the first seven months Of 1892 Il
was 29.6 per cent. American imports,
in contrast, dropped from 40.3 per cent
in 1881 to bare IS per cent.
Paris.-The session Of the Chamber
OF Deputies which recessed just before
the end of the year agreed almost
unanimously to support Finance Min
lister Cheron's recommendation for i'm
mediate government financing. They
voted an extra 5000, 900 ,000-franc issue
OF treasury bonds, thus raising the total
outstanding bonded indebtedness from
nothing on January /, 1882. to the
present limit, which is $4,000, ,000, 900
M. Cheron has assured the country this
is the only provisionary credit that will
be necessary, but every one is skeptical,
since this sum will be adequate to carry
the national treasury only to the be-
ginning OF February, when 1t is ex-
pected that the real discussion of the
budget will commence.
Farm Board Proposal.
Wnen confronted with questions
M. Cheron refused to define any pro-
posals to balance the budget, limiting
only vaguely that due to the success OF
the government In obtaining a sacrifice
from small renters, probably he would
try to persuade medium and large scale
capitalists to accept a similar sacrifice.
Recent attempts in this direction made
by the previous finance minister, how
ever, only resulted in violent lobbying
OF numerous sorts from protective tax
payers syndicates, which frustrated
further government initiative.
Lsst-minute legislation also gave M
Cheron majority for his demand for
an embryo French Farm Board, which
VIII have at its disposal credit of
SIz,ooo,ooO with which to support wheat
prices by direct buying or by advancing
credits to farmers in order to remove
the, 100000 quintal surplus accunu.
lated this year.