Evening star., 1941-01-09
Drastic Move 10 Feed
Paris Is Made by
Pefain Regime
Customs Duties Lowered
And Maximum Prices in
Nearby Areas Reduced
BY PAUL GHALI.

BY PAUL GHALI,
Chicago Daily News Foreign Correspondent
VICHY, Jan. 9-Long queues al
the doors Of empty shops-Paris has
been meatless for nearly a month
now-added another stone today to
the already heavily laden trouble
bag of the French government.
Faced by bitter Paris press cities
who not only warn but threaten
Marshal Henri Philippe Petain's re-
gin1e today decided on immediate
drastic measures, formulated in a
long official communique.
Drafted in somewhat apologetic
tone, this communique outlines
measures drawn up conjointly by an
economic committee in Vichy un-
der the presidency of Foreign Min
lister Pierre -Etienne Flandin and a
conference in Paris of Vichy repre-
sentatives and local municipal serv-
ices.
Four Measures Adopted.
Four measures were adopted today
for improving the Paris supply:
1. Customs duties on foodstuffs
entering Paris were lowered con-
siderably.
2. Instead of increasing maximum
prices in Paris, the government low
cred them in the neighboring de-
partments so that the farmers would
once more find it profitable to send
their produce to the Paris central
markets. The farmers undoubtedly
would have preferred a general in
crease in prices, but the government
wisely chose to maintain its popu-
larity in Paris rather than once
more to coddle its usual pet, the
peasant.
8. The government decided to in
crease the requisitions of foodstuffs
in the provinces for Paris. This
also will not be very popular with
the peasants.
Supplementary Rations.
1. The decision was taken to
send to Paris supplementary rations
of bread, dried vegetables and rice,
as we'll as all available meat.
The reasons for the painful situa-
ton in Paris are simple. The in
experienced French government
tried to solve the price problem
by autarchial methods and the
results were not always the best.
Maximum prices were laid down
for all absolutely necessary products
by department projects at the be-
ginning of the winter. Farmers
were prevented from selling at re-
munerative prices.
Paris prices were fixed at nearly
IS per cent below those in nearby
departments, with the result that
living in Paris was relatively cheap,
but the population was practically
starving, for the farmers would not
send their produce to Paris for sale.
At the same time the prefect of
each department felt inclined to
play the role of dictator and often
forbade expectation outside his de-
partment, with the result that some
departments had an overabundant
supply of foodstuffs while others had
none.
Vichy Becomes Victim.
Even Vichy become the victim Of
this system, when last week the pre-
feet of the neighboring agricul-
turally rich department of Puyde-
dome forbade exports.
Prevented from selling their prod
uce freely, the peasants, with char
acteristic French thriftiness, pre-
ferred to keep them.
Finally bad weather conditions,
which always disrupt markets at
this time of year, and lack of trans
port combined to aggravate the poor
supply to Paris.
1t is admitted that since the Ger
man occupation the French rail-
ways have lost half their rolling
stock. Furthermore, the remainder
Is at the disposal of the conQuerors
when needed.
Experts Are Hopeful.
What will be the results of to-
days measures?
No doubt If the government had
seen f1t to take these steps sooner
the situation could have been ade-
quately handled. And even now
supply experts in Vichy are hopeful.
Vichy is putting part Of the re-
sponsibility for the situation on the
British blockade. Today's press
publishes figures of French imports
during 1898, giving them as A.
ooo, 900 tons, adding crisply that,
practically none of these reached
French ports'-a somewhat dubious
statement. The press, however, at
the moment obviously is unwilling
TO resound the bugles Of July and
August against England.
tcopyrisi1t, 1941. Chicago Daily News, 1nc)