MAN POWER IN FRANCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 13 July 1929, Page 2

MAN POWER IN FRANCE

SHORTAGE OF LABOUR WJiilp neighbouring countries are embarrassed by unemployment, Franco is handicapped by a shortage of labour. Even with the influx *oL foreign labour Che position is such that in some quarters it is suggested that the large public and semi-public works in prospect should be arranged in some sort of programme -so as to make use of the labour available to the best national advantage. One of the most serious aspects of the problem is the drastic diminution in the number of boys and adolescents from whom industry, in normal times, naturally recruits its share of workmen. The reduction in the birth-rate during the,war years is now beginning to produce its maximum effect. For its recruits coming directly from the elementary! schools industry is dependent on the children horn in the first years of the war, so that this year and in the years immediately succeeding the trades which employ a large proportion of young people will meet great inconvenience. Another labour difficulty at the- moment arises indirectly from* the diminution of the period of limitary .service. This measure, in the first instance, will permit young men to remain available for industrial employment for some months during which they would previously have been in military training. In order, however, to render possible the reduction of the period; of army service, the military authorities i have instituted a systefii by which certain non-combatant and administrative work connected with the army will be performed, not by soldiers, but by organisations voluntarily recruited from among the civil population. More than 100,000 men will/ it is stated, bo ultimately recruited for this purpose, and young men just returned from the army are said to be attracted in. many cases by these new jobs, to the loss of ordinary industry.