France and the War Industries President Lebrun on Friday signed
the Bills approved by the French Cabinet, " for the nationa- lisation of the manufacture of war material." They provide for nationalisation by decree, but it is not expected that they will be put into effect immediately, nor is it yet decided what firms are to be nationalised. Shareholders are to be compensated with Government bonds. The Cabinet, in executing its plan, will be fared by many difficulties which defenders of the private manufacture of arms in this country have declared insuperable. In particular, there is the difficulty that many of the armament firms, such as Renault's, are so largely engaged in other branches of industry. Only a few, such as Schneider-Creusot, are entirely occupied with arms manufacture. No doubt the French Government will proceed cautiously and gradually with the work of nationalisation ; but the results of its experiment will be of the utmost interest to other countries, especially our own. The- Commission on Arms Manufacture is now engaged in preparing its report. It will be instructive to learn how many of its conclusions will be verified or dis- proved by the results of the French Government's plan. If nationalisation can succeed in France, there is no reason why it should fail here. * * * *
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