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and a first-class navy. In the four years 1913-1918, France paid about 11,000,000,000 francs to foreign shipowners.-[Le Petit Marseillais, Feb. 5, 1919.]

Restoration of Forests.

An important part of the great work of reconstructing the devastated sections of France will be the restoration of forests. Necessarily this will be slow and tedious, and help will be asked from the outside. A plan now in contemplation involves the planting of 250 acres annually for five years by Norway, which has a superabundance of trees. [Times, Troy, N. Y., Feb. 5, 1919.]

Summary of Damage of France in the War.

A hasty investigation since the signing of the armistice shows the total destruction in France of something like 500,000 buildings damaged and at least 250,000 buildings completely destroyed. This destruction of buildings is estimated at $6,000,000,000 by the Government engineers. The total cost of repairing and replacing the used or destroyed public works is estimated at about $2,000,000,000. The Nord railroad alone has lost 1,731 bridges and 338 stations. It is estimated that 250,000 acres are rendered uncultivable by the war. The total damage in the north of France, including buildings, agriculture, industry, furniture, and public works, is estimated at about $13,000,000,000. These were the figures reported for the committee on budget in the Chamber of Deputies, December, 1918.-[Article in New York Times by George B. Ford, Research Department, American Red Cross in France; Commerce Reports, U. S. Dept. of Commerce, Feb. 8, 1919, p. 629.]

Reoccupation of Devastated Land.

The French Parliament passed a law during the war whereby abandoned farms which from lack of labor and cultivation are unproductive can be reoccupied by refugees who would bring the soil. back to productivity. For their efforts they will be allowed by their Government $75 an acre. The American Committee for Devastated France took over two large farms whereon it established many refugee families and gave them shelter and occupation in cultivating the neglected areas. It applied to the French Government for an allowance under this law and received $30,000. This action has set a precedent which will be of inestimable value to all farmers in France. [American, Baltimore, Md., Feb. 16, 1919.]

French Telephone Service Resumed.

Telephone communication between the various departments of France, which has been suspended since the beginning of hostilities, was resumed February 16. Only the narrow zones bordering the Swiss and Spanish frontiers are excepted. [Tribune, New York, N. Y., Feb. 17, 1919.]

Materials for Reconstruction.

In its work of reconstruction of the devastated districts, there will be a need of millions of dollars worth of materials, steel, machinery, and agricultural implements, and America is the one nation in a favorable position to bid for this gigantic market. It is believed that the import bars which have been up since the armistice went into effect will be removed.―[American, New York, N. Y., Feb. 18, 1919.] Financing War Debt.

As part of his financial policy, the minister of finance announced the institution of a tax on capital spreading over a number of years, making evasion impossible; continued appeal to the public for credit at reduced interest rate, minimum taxes, etc.; and possible request for an interallied loan.—[Star, Washington, D. C., Feb. 19, 1919.] Reconstruction in the Liberated Regions.

The ministry of finance presented to the Chamber of Deputies provisional credits for exceptional military and civil expenditures for the second quarter of 1919. Among other items, the bill calls for an expenditure of 62,000,000 francs for reconstruction of industries and 1,256,000,000 francs for the needs of the liberated regions.-[Times, New York, N. Y., Feb. 21, 1919.]

Dutch Government to Help in Reconstruction.

The Dutch Government sent a commission to Paris, which will study the requirements of the liberated territories and the measures suitable for Holland to take in order to assist in the work of reconstruction there. The preliminary interviews with the French authorities have shown that Holland's assistance will be most useful in the matter of supplying building materials, agricultural machinery, and live stock. Her help will also be welcome in other directions, such as the rebuilding of houses and factories, for supplying dredges, tugs, lighters, barges, and engines, as well as technical engineers, labor, and public works contractors. The commission has returned to Holland to submit its report to the Government.-[Echo de Paris, Feb. 21, 1919.]

Reconstruction.

The American commercial attaché at Paris has stated that France will ask but very little in the way of commercial aid from the United States; that certain raw materials may be needed and France is apt to find that she can not get along without a variety of American manufactured goods, but for the present American business men will only be wasting their efforts by attempting to gain a hold on the French reconstruction markets. He further said that during the war the French munition factories rapidly absorbed all refugees from the invaded districts, while every eligible man was thrust into the army. Now, however, there is no longer any need for extensive armament,

no longer any need for a large army, and the French Government has a tremendous problem of unemployment to settle, and it claims the privilege of settling it by doing its own reconstruction.-[Record, Boston, Mass., Feb. 21, 1919.]

All through the war the French Senate has had a commission studying the economic organization of the country for the purpose of understanding clearly the situation after the war. Taken in order, the following points sum up what the most responsible representatives of French business deem necessary now: 1. France needs all her own capital to develop her own and her colonies industry, trade, and agriculture; 2, the French manufacturers and merchants must organize for the purpose of exportation, "with the aid of the State, if need be," and develop exact and practical business information for the benefit of exporters, using particularly the consular service for this purpose; 3, the 930,000 tons of French shipping destroyed by the enemy must be restored, keel for keel and ton for ton, from German and Austro-Hungarian ships, France to buy at once 1,000,000 tons shipping from England and 1,000,000 tons from the United States, and American shipyards to be opened to French shipbuilders for the construction of 2,000,000 tons of freight steamers which will be authorized to fly the French flag; 4, a customs revision among the Allies is recommended, and even the establishment in France of free ports and free zones; and, 5, for the Peace Treaty it is recommended that the freedom of the Rhine, which even Switzerland needs, be guaranteed and the interests of Alsace-Lorraine in mines and Strasburg as a port be provided for, with the settlement of all questions of raw materials until Germany no longer has that advantage over France which she has gained by her destruction in war.-[Post, New York, N. Y., Feb. 22, 1919.]

Reconstruction of Devastated Areas.

The United States War Finance Corporation has stated that estimates of the French High Commission indicated that France would need $414,000,000 in materials from the United States early this year for reconstruction. This includes food, cotton, gasoline, and petrol, window glass, locomotives, railway cars, and agricultural implements. The United States War Finance Corporation proposes to extend credits to exporters based on orders for these materials from the French Government or responsible French commercial interests. [Record, Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 23, 1919.]

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Labor Platform.

The general federation of labor has requested Premier Clemenceau to create a national economic council including representatives of labor organizations, and having as its objectives the improvement of economic conditions of the country and the coordination of the country's resources and genius.-[World, New York, N. Y., Feb. 23, 1919.]

Treatment of Consumptives.

The chief of the health service has put before the French Chamber of Deputies a proposed law for the treatment and care of tuberculosis. He stated that France has cared for 55,000 tubercular soldiers during the war and that there are to-day at least 500,000 cases of consumption in France, which is a serious figure in a country which, even before the war, was beset by the problem of depopulation. The proposed law provides for dispensaries and hospital care wherever necessary, and for pensions to families when the wage worker is in a hospital. The estimated cost is an initial expenditure of 84,000,000 francs and 100,000,000 francs more are to be expended annually.— [The Survey, New York, N. Y., Mar. 1, 1919, p. 803.]

Reconstruction of Transportation Facilities.

The minister of public works, in a report to President Poincare, said that 900,000,000 francs should be expended for the construction of new main railroad lines, 875,000,000 francs for the construction of local railway lines, 350,000,000 francs for the reconstruction of waterways, 200,000,000 francs for building and rebuilding roads, and 600,000,000 francs for the reconstruction and improvement of maritime ports.-[American, Baltimore, Md., Mar. 24, 1919.]

Air Traffic.

The interministerial commission of civil aeronautics has submitted to the French ministry of war a report which comprises a "Project of international convention regarding air navigation," and proposes to forbid the carrying of cameras, war appliances, or ammunition on airships without special authorization, and to allow the contracting Governments to forbid private individuals of any nationality to fly over certain specified zones of their territory. Provision is made for the classification and registering of all airships, whether planes, balloons, or dirigibles, the lists to be exchanged between the contracting Governments. It is also proposed to standardize the conditions under which navigation licenses will be granted machines and to pilots. Various annexes to the report offer provisions the standardization of lights on airships and for route and regulations, and suggest a number of distress signals proposed to offer as a basis for an international

Reports, U. S. Dept. of Commerce, Apr. 1, 19*.

Financial Aid for Restoring Devastated Provir A few days after the entry of committee was formed to raise devastated northern Provinces of warded 1,000,000 francs to Presider. gratitude of Alsace to France.-[Sta.

Reconstruction of Devastated Areas.

The Department of the Somme is beginning to clean up the fields and lodge the laborers as near as possible to their property, so that when the war damages have been paid actual building can be immediately started. In each commune a new plan has been elaborated. The plan of the village is first drawn up, then the ruins are cleared away according to a recent law. The State pays for this, and each man is advised of the operation when the turn of his house comes, so that he can watch the operation, for many people have hidden valuables on the premises or hope to find some valued souvenir of their former home. Attempts are being made to get all the inhabitants of each commune to put their money into a common fund, and maintain one building yard for each town.-[Sun, Baltimore, Md., Apr. 13, 1919.]

Public Welfare.

GERMAN-AUSTRIA.

The sphere of activities of the ministry for the social welfare (ministerium für soziale fürsorge) in Austria is to be divided into five main departments: The care of the young; the care of those disabled and those bereaved by the war; national insurance; industrial legislation and the protection of the workmen; housing. The main object of the new ministry is the express care of the public welfare in general as well as the improvement of the condition of the laboring and less wealthy classes. Its policy will be to foster "a constant harmonious cooperation of Government administration with autonomous bodies, and with directorates of charitable societies."—[Soziale Praxis, Nov. 1, 1917.]

Relief of Unemployed During Transition Period.

The German-Austrian secretary of state for social welfare has issued instructions for the formation of industrial district commissions to deal with the question of unemployment and its consequences during the transition period. They will be appointed by him, and are to consist of a chairman, vice chairman, and four to eight members, of whom half will represent employers and the other half the workers. They appoint from their number subcommittees for individual branches of industry and, if necessary, for particular trades in which employers and workpeople are to be equally represented. A central industrial commission will be formed at the social welfare office to determine general measures to be adopted for the relief of the unemployed, and will work through the agency of the existing central labor exchange. The expenses of these commissions will be berne by the State. Any employer who proposes to dismiss more a 20 workers in the course of a week will have to inform the industrial commission of the number and date of dismissals

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