All over France last week peasants and townsmen flocked to counters staffed by harried people and sweatily traded old money for new. They were joined by all U.S. servicemen and women who were not flat broke. The Finance Ministry had decreed a new paper currency issue. All old notes of 50 to 5,000 francs would be invalid after June 16. Purpose: to perk up France's drooping finances by clearing lost or destroyed bank notes off the books; to smoke out black-market and other illegal war fortunes, and hoarding; to cancel French currency still in German hands or otherwise "irregularly"...
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