Show romance lives in world finance drama woven around the pound and franc london Ito still lives in the world of international finance I nance although it may be dimmed by a few drab technicalities the most recent drama was woven about the english pound and tile the french franc with the austrian shilling as the poor long suffering orphan its sensational ending dispelled for the present at least all hopes of france to make paris the greatest money market in the world the curtain rises with the credit anstatt Ans talt once the most powerful institution ution in central europe slowly approaching collapse its funds had been used liberally to support austrian industry and manufacturers in adjoining states when the economic depression descended customs scheme in a moments desperation austrian leaders turned to their old ally germany which had little money to offer but suggested a reciprocal cipro cal customs scheme whereby industry ot of both states bould benefit thus lessening the pressure upon the credit anstatt thus was born the austro german customs union which precipitated precipitate more heated discussion in europe than any incident since the armistice france feared eared a new alliance between austria and germany in con of the treaty of versailles and offered financial assistance to the credit anstatt in return for abolition of the proposed scheme however after the measure had been referred to the hague court foi final settlements settlement fran frances ces enthusiasm thusia sm for offering financial aid cooled in return for floating a loan urgently needed by the credit anstatt french financiers demanded austria scrap the customs union its credit saved Aus acquiescence observers pointed out would have made her simply another franc child of parts paris and enhance the cites prestige as a money market at the crucial moment however the bank of england as the hero swept upon the stage with its money bags filled with the credit anstatt was saved the bank banh of 0 En glands reputation had a new glitter and france was left with nothing but a daze as to how the rich plum had slipped from its grasp in addition french hopes of paris becoming a great financial center have of I 1 late a te be been e n dampened by the spread of the general depression in france in slay may it had an unfavorable balance of visible trade estimated at tile the largest it had bad known for any month in many years rears |