The Cares of Ownership

The French Government was embarrassed: Louis Renault, late great automobile magnate, had had a sense of social responsibility--and perhaps also a sense of humor.

Renault's death last October saved him from a trial for collaboration. When he died, the French Government, urged on by leftists, many of them Renault workers, decreed the seizure of the automobile plants as an important step in its new plan of progressive nationalization. This, it was believed, would prevent the Renault holdings from going to Renault's wife and son Jean.

But the Government suddenly halted its decree. Renault's will, made ten years ago, had been opened. He had left his automobile works to his 40,000 workers. What would the Government do now? If the workers demanded their rights according to Renault's will, it would jar the nationalization program. If they did not, they would have to share their inheritance with the Government.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.