▁constraints ▁on ▁foreign ▁entrepr ene urs ▁and ▁sk illed ▁techn icians , ▁particularly ▁those ▁who ▁could ▁assist ▁in ▁the ▁war ▁industry . ▁ ▁He ▁wrote , ▁" we ▁first ▁of ▁all ▁want ▁to ▁make ▁known ▁the ▁desire ▁of ▁France ▁to ▁facil itate ▁the ▁establishment ▁on ▁its ▁soil ▁of ▁indust ries ▁likely ▁to ▁increase ▁in ▁times ▁of ▁peace ▁its ▁power ▁for ▁expansion , ▁and ▁in ▁times ▁of ▁war ▁its ▁capacity ▁for ▁resistance . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁( 1 9 3 9 – 4 5 ), ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁G entin ▁said ▁that ▁manufact uring ▁for ▁the ▁military ▁should ▁not ▁be ▁allowed ▁to ▁affect ▁production ▁of ▁lux ury ▁goods , ▁since ▁the ▁prof its ▁from ▁exports ▁would ▁offset ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁war ▁material ▁imports . ▁He ▁said , ▁" It ▁is ▁essential ▁that ▁we ▁continue ▁manufact uring ▁export ▁goods ▁so ▁that ▁we ▁hang ▁on ▁to ▁our ▁customers ▁... ▁for ▁when ▁the ▁war ▁is ▁over ." ▁This ▁reflected ▁a ▁belief ▁that ▁France ▁had ▁strong ▁def enses ▁but ▁a ▁weak ▁economy , ▁the ▁opposite ▁of ▁the ▁view ▁of ▁the ▁military ▁leaders . ▁G entin ▁visited ▁London ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁surprised ▁his ▁hosts ▁by ▁asking ▁for ▁removal ▁of ▁all ▁obst acles ▁to ▁trade ▁between ▁Britain ▁and ▁France . ▁ ▁This ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁broad ▁agreement ▁signed ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁G entin ▁repeated ▁to ▁a ▁parliament ary ▁committee ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁that ▁France