EMPLOYMENT IN FRANCE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26985, 10 March 1953, Page 9

EMPLOYMENT IN FRANCE

Fall In Industrial Production (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON. March 9. The unemployment situation in France, although far from disastrous, is preoccupying a number of minds, says the Paris correspondent of “The Times,” quoting figures released in the French Parliament disclosing that on February 15 there were 72,000 people receiving unemployment benefits as against 46,000 a year ago and 54,000 on January 1. “At the beginning of February there were 210,000 seeking work, compared with 132,000 in February, 1952. “Partial unemployment—men and women working less than the official 40>-houi- week—increased throughout 1952 and in October last had reached 265,000. “The branches most affected are the building trade, public works, textiles, leather and office workers. “This information only confirmed what has been known for a long time; —that there is stagnation in business in France which is beginning to have serious consequences,” says the correspondent. “The Institute of Statistics recently carried out an inquiry into the business world which showed that the outlook for the immediate future was no brighter. “Thus in the industrial suburbs of Paris large numbers of workers are working on short time and many have been stood off altogether. Industrial production, which failed during 1952 to keep pace with its previous progress, still shows no sign of any substantial recovery. This could have serious results for State finances.

“Wages and prices have remained roughly stable since autumn, 1951, which means that the purchasing power of the franc has equally been approximately constant. Many independent economists agree ttiat the only way out of the present difficulties is to cut production costs by improving productivity through the cooperation of the workers.

“At the moment it will b® the worst thing possible for France—far worse than the present limited depression—for wages to start chasing prices again.”