114 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.
Salines de Ouest was the west of France from Brittany to the
south of the Ile d’Oléron, with the country lying back of this coast.
The Association des Salins de I’Est, which fad greatly encouraged
and aided the formation of the Association Syndicale des Salines
de I’Ouest, demanded that it be permitted to hold a part of the
stock of the new company. This was agreed to, with the single proviso
 that the western organization should always control two-thirds
of the stock. This concession permitted the eastern syndicate to
take part in the administration of the new concern.
During the first four years the production of salt in the west of
France was normal and averaged some 130,000 tons, and the new
syndicate flourished. In 1905 and 1906, however, the production of
salt in this zone was enormous, prices fell below 15 francs ($2.90),
and the non-syndicated producers as a result of the superproduction
had sufficient stock to offer serious competition to the Association
Byndicale, which by its contracts was bound to pay the statutory
minimum of 15 francs ($2.90) for the total production of the syndicated
 producers. The small capital of the Association Syndicale
(90,000 fon) was insufficient to meet the demands put upon it.
The result of this was that in April, 1907, the Association des Salins
de I’Est.came to its aid, and a new syndicate, known as the Société
Salinidre de 1’Ouest, with a capital of 2,198,000 francs ($442,140)
was substituted for the original organization. The new company
undertook all the obligations of its predecessor, and in addition declared
 itself ready to purchase the total production of the nonsyndicated
 producers as well as that of the syndicated producers. The
reason for the interest of the allied Association des Salins de 1'Est
was the fact that cheap salt in this region would necessitate a falling
off in price throughout the entire country. The offer of the rehabilitated
 western syndicate to purchase salt from both syndicated and
nonsyndicated producers at the fixed minimum of 15 francs ($2.90)
a ton was based on the same principle of maintenance of price.
In 1911 the statutory term of the organization came to an end, and
inasmuch as the production of salt in this region, owing to unfavorable
 weather conditions, had dropped to some 70,000 tons, the price
of salt in consequence rose to 23 francs ($4.44) a ton, and the syndicated
 members no longer needing, for the time being, the protection
 of the Société Saliniére, the contracts between the syndicate and
the producers were not renewed. From that date the Société
Saliniére de I’Ouest and its affiliated producers have continued to
work together on the same basis as that stipulated in the former
agreement. But this working agreement is only tacit and has no
legal sanction.
The actual price of salt, as paid to the producer, is at 60 francs
($11.58) a ton. . Co
The head office of the Société Saliniére de 1’Quest is at 7 Rue
Gresset, Nantes. The president is M. Jacquemin, of the Association
des Salins de Est, Nancy. The commercial director is M. Patient,
7 Rue Gresset, Nantes. The selling director at La Rochelle is M.
Victor Pajot.
The syndicate has offices in nearly all of the cities of the west
coast of France.