RUINED FRENCH MINES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3380, 8 January 1920, Page 7

RUINED FRENCH MINES.

VVORK FOR UNJEMPLOYED GERMANS FOR EIGHT YEe.lr‘LS_ Work for all the unemployed in Germany for the next eight years will be provided in restoring the ruined mines in Northern France, says the Berlin paper Vorwaerts. This opinion is based on the report of the German Mining Commission -sent to France recently to ascertain the extent of the damage, and which has justmade public its findings. - “The task,” says the newspaper, “is so great that it i-s'sufficient to furnish work for every idle man in Europe and everyone else engaged in surplus labour. The report shows the fallacy of the theory that emigration of 13,000,000 to 15,000,000 =pclvsons from Germany is an economic necessity.” The (30X1l1l)i-SSiOI1'_ in its report, said that the work of reconstruction would have to be done from “the ground up,” especially in the Pas de Calais, Courriere, Lens, Lievin, Droscourt, Mourchin, Carvin and Dourges, where the destruction was pronounced “terriblei” Most of the mines have been "drowned,.” it was said, and in re[building new shafts workers would [have to bezgprotected against inward, pressure of Water. - M I A French ofiicer and a French min-I iing oflicial took the German envoys through the dvastatcd regions. The‘ Germans declared the work of restor-4 ation would not only be one of great difficulty, but that, in many cases. it was impossible to ascertain the extent of the damage done‘ to each zninc-"I They also said‘ it Was not easy to fix responsibility for destruction, because it was done by numerous groups of troops and the records showing where each military unit was located and at What period "Were not complete or} available. i