The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20th, 1921. THE WRACK OF WAR.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1924, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20th, 1921. THE WRACK OF WAR.

Jtiat p rant* is facing energetically tne big task which confronts her, of restoring out of the wrack of war normal conditions in her devastated areas is clear from striking official figures quoted by Mr H. Moreau, of H. Moreau and Co., Ltd., and ex-l’resident of the French Chamber of Commerce in Australia, in the course of an interview on his return from France. Of 741,993 buildings, including private houses destroyed or badly damaged, 575,533 have In-on rebuilt; of 0.500,000 acres of land to be prepared for cultivation, 3,800,000 acres are now under cultivation; of 22.900 factories destroyed or badly damaged 20,150 have been rebuilt, and of 290 coal pits destroyed, 160 have 1-cen repaired. Mr Moreau points out also that the total damage, valued at tl:r exchange rate of, say 75 francs to the £, is £1.360.000,000; that the cost of building and repairs to date

lifts been £600.000,000; and that German;, lias paid to date only £51,400,000. “internal conditions,” says Mr Moreau ••arc good. Everybody is working hard with the cost of living and manufacturing going up in proportion to tho fall of the franc. This fall is due mostly to foreign speculation. Export trade is increasing, and heavy taxes are com- ; ing in well. The Ruhr occupation Ims not so far given its full benefit, but with the now agreements made with the German industrial magnates it will soon yield a substantial return. The reparations problem is getting more and more complex, as up to this day all the rebuilding has been done at our own cost, the Germans not paying. This wit! our heavy expenditure to make good, sets a task almost too heavy for any nation to carry through. I have

many times been hurt to hear what the German propagandists have crammed in the ears of the unwary. France., they say, will not- pay her debt to Eng. land. France never repndkues any of her liabilities, but unfortunately, through the Germans not carrying out their agreement, she is in the same position a*;, say, a man who is owed £IOOO, and is owing it to another, and unable to pay him before his debtoi pays his legitimate 'debt. Some people in England do not blame Germany for not paying us, but- blame us for being compelled, through the bad faith of Germany to delay discharging certain liabilities. They blame us for occupying the Ruhr Valley in a very quiet way, but take it quite as a matter of course to see Mesopotamian villages bombed if taxes are not forthcoming. They also put down the unemployment question to the occupation, when it is well-known that there were more unemployed in England before the occupation than there are now. Fortunately, those viewing things in this dis-

torted manner aro only a very small minority, which, being small, beats the drum very hard in order to he hoard. Tie* English and the French nations are individually at heart with one another as much as ever, hut the difference between the two Governments is due purely to these questions being viewed at a different angle, and the diffences are accentuated hy intense German propaganda. Another proof of French feeling towards England is the non-deliv-ery. at England's request, of hundreds of thousands of tons of French steel, in order to avoid further upsetting England’s industrial position. This, notwithstanding English coal being supplied to Germany while we occupied the Ruhr. The. fact naturally inn lies Germany more determined to oppose cur occupation. One thing I am pleased about is that when I motored through the Somme with friends the remembrance of the ‘Aussios’ was as strong as ever. One has only to say lie comes from Australia to Im> assured of the warmest welcome.”