While France requires all possible assistance in reconstituting the devastated areas, it is inter: esting and significant to note that already by her own efforts she has gone far towards laying the foundations for new prosperity. Statistics have at last been compile ed to show how far manufacturers have been able to resume work. An inquiry has been made into the condition of 3,700 firms, each of which before the war employed at least 20 persons. By the beginning of last month it was reported that 2,810 of these, or roughly, 76 per cent., were again working either fully or partially. In Meurthect-Moselle 80.6 per cent. of the firms considered have resumed work; in the Ardennes 78.6; in the Nord; and in the Lille area 84.9.
Whereas 706,323 workers were employed on June 1, 1914, this year 284,785 persons are employed, a percentage of 40.3. The resumption of work has been steadily progressing. Thus on July 1, 1919, the similar percentage was' 9.7; on October 1, 1919, 20.8; on January 1, 1920. 28.8; on April 1. 1920, 35.25 and on July 1, 1920, 40.3. In the department of the Nord industries are now employing 47.6 of the workpeople employed before the while in Lille the percentage s 59.3. The recovery has been most marked in the textile industry, where the proportion attains 49. In the Lille district the proportion for this industry reaches 62.8 per cent., and in the same zone for woollens alone 90.7 per cent.; while at Roubaix 96.7 of those employed in 1914 in woollens are back at work.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.