COST OF THE WAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21580, 6 December 1944, Page 4

COST OF THE WAR

FRENCH INDUSTRY DESOLATED” COUNTRY HUGE IMPORT ORDERS (9 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. a. The enormous task of reconstruction facing France was outlined at Lille bv M. C. Teitgen, French Minister of Information, who said it would take at least live years to restore the basis of the nation’s production and industry. M. Tcitgen said that before the Allied landings 337.000 houses were damaged and 100.000 destroyed throughout France. Now, as the inevitable outcome of military operations, '600,000 houses would have to be entirely rebuilt. The railway system had also suffered colossal destruction, about 2000 railway installations and nearly 1900 miles of permanent, way having been destroyed. France had also lost twothirds of her railway material, and no fewer than 4500 road and railway bridges must be reconstructed. Only 150,000 motor vehicles remain on the roads compared with 480,000 before the war, and the majority of the ports are in a disastrous condition. A total of 750 miles of railway track had been repaired since the liberation of France.

M. Teitgen announced a programme of imports covering the first eight months of 1945, which would cost France one-third of her gold reserves. It was necessary to help revive her national economy, for possibly IQ years would be required to re-equip the nation, and re-establish port and railway' facilities. The public debt had risen nearly fourfold to 68,250,000,000 by August 31. A new loan had so far raised £500,000,000. Once the economic machine was restarted, France would employ her own resources, added M. Teitgen.