The assurance of that financial help will bring to every
one in France, government and private enterprise, the courage and faith
necessary to apply to peace reconstruction the energy and the spirit of
enterprise she has so prominently shown during the war.
"We will exact from Germany the restitution of each part of the material
taken away from us as can be recovered. But, besides that restitution,
we must bear in mind that speed is a primary condition in the
reconstruction of France, and that America, on account of her immense
capacities for production, ought to give us the first help. We need
ships, chartered ships as well as ships transferred to our flag; the
speedy reconstruction of the country is strictly depending on the
revival of our mercantile fleet.
"The colossal effort put up by the United States in the building of her
fleet for war purposes will not be diverted from this sacred end if it,
in part, helps France to recover on the seas, for the revival of her
forces in peace, the means of transportation which were lost to her on
account of the war.
"In reference to these four items--labor; credit, raw materials,
ships--I have explained in detail our needs to your administration, by
whose welcome I have been deeply moved. What I told them, what I asked
for, I am telling it to you again, because a policy of secrecy does not
befit our day.
Pages:
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919
920
921
922
923
924