Evening star., 1945-04-01
French Officials Impede
Efforts of u. S. to Give Aid
Constant Impugning Of American Motives Makes
Difficult Winning of Popular Support
For Assistance Plans
By Joseph II. Baird.

II. BGtrd.
the chiefs OF state and sponsorship Of
the San Francisco Conference, but was
overruled. NJ Bidault, former journ-
alist, rose to power through the re-
sistance movement in France while some
of Gen. de Gaulle's other advisers were
with him during the Algiers period when
he and the President were at odds over
Allied policy in North Africa.
However, these "pin-pricks" have had
no effect so far on the basic administra-
ton policy of trying to aid France in
every way to recoup the political and
economic power it welded in the days
before the disastrous German break
through in 1910. On the political side,
this policy already has been imple-
mented in number of ways. With
cordial United States approval, the
French provisional government has been
installed as full member of the Euro
pean Advisory Commission which will
determine the postwar treatment Of
Germany as well as permanent mem-
ber of the Security Council of the pro-
posed United Nations organization
At Yalta it was decided that Francs
would be invited to accept zone of con-
troll in Germany, very probably at least
part of the Rhineland which, Gen. de
Gaulle has made clear, Paris regardstas
its own bulwark of military security. It
was also agreed that France should be
associated with the Big Three powers
in joint responsibility for the liberated
areas Of Europe.
In the economic field, too, the United
States is planning, and has begun to
carry out, a major program Of aid 70
France, although its progress has been
necessarily slowed down by the tre-
mendous military demands of the Allied
armies in Germany.
France Suffered Heavily.
Frances economic problems, which are
acute, naturally affect its political out
look and, officials here believe, are in
part responsible for the querulous at
titude of some French officials. While
the food supply of France is much bet
ter than that of a number of other
European countries-Belgium, Holland
and Greece, for example-it has suffered
previously in other ways. Its port IA
cilities, highways, railroads, canals and
bridges were destroyed by the retreating
Germans last year While some of these
facilities have been repaired temporar-
lily for military use. their permanent re-
habilitation remains tremendous prob
lem.
More important is the specter of un-
employment in France. where an esti-
mated 5000 900 to 100000 craftsmen
and laborers either are unemployed or
| are engaged in temporary or part-time
work. Fortunately, from q long-range
viewpoint, the hurried nature of the
German retreat through France did not
allow time for destruction of French
industry.
But-and this has been a bitter pill
for the French people to swallow-ths
economic condition of the average fac
tory worker has been worse since D day
than when the Germans were in con-
| troll. This is true because the Germans
ran the factories full speed on raw ma
terials and shipped the finished prod
ucts to the Reich. Since the liberation
there has been an acute shortage of raw
materials. particularly cotton and wool
| for the textile industry, and many plants
| have been idle.
U. S. Seeks to Help.
Under the lease-lend agreements of
February %, the United States is try
ing to alleviate Frances economic pre-
dicament. This pact. under which
France will receive total of 50 ,575, 900, ).
600 worth of supplies and equipment,
calls for large amounts of cotton, metals,
steel, chemicals, rubber, petroleum and
minor industrial equipment to start
| factory wheels turning again.
| In separate category, France also Il
to receive locomotives, railroad cars,
ships, barges, metal working machinery,
major industrial equipment and ma
| chinery for mines Deliveries in these
latter categories will continue even after
the end of the war, and France will pay
for them in full.
This program of aid Is not a one
sided affair, as France will supply under
reverse lease-lend transport and port
facilities as well as other services. Also
the Army has awarded already to French
| factories long-term orders for more than
$1,000, 100000 worth of goods, particu-
larly uniforms, which win save shipping
space as well as manpower here.
Anglo-American long-term policy
toward France is basicly one of estab-
fishing stable political and economic
structure in Western Europe. In such
structure France is inevitably the key
state. Germany. long the industrial
leader of continental Europe, is likely to
be for many years an Allied controlled
workshop, large part OF whose prod
ucts will 60 to satisfy the reparations
demands of Russia and Poland. Italy.
never q major economic power, will be
even less so after the peace. Belgium,
Holland and Norway have eficient In
dustries, but they are small and war.
worn.
1t is well recognized here that unless
stable economy is established In ths
western part of Europe, political chaos
will result. Unemployment and sub.
standard living conditions will make
fertile ground for communism and other
extremist doctrines. The only answer
is ample employment, comfortable