Warned. petrol and money in the household in the event of an. emergency.—United Press.
Admira] Darlan, however, denied that he already had ordered the fleet to escort the food vessels, He said that he does not intend to protect the food ships in the next two weeks, but after that deadline he will be forced to do so in order to prevent the starvation of 40,000,000 Frensh people, "In'the hope of better understanding by England, I will not protect our food ships for the next few weeks" Admira] Darlan said.
"The Germans have proved by releasing 2,000,000 quintals of wheat earmarked for the army of occupation that they are more generous than the British. but I am still hopeful of more comprehensive and generous action by England."
Simuaneohsly, he announced that had notified the American Ambassador to Vichy, Admiral William D. Leahy, regarding the acute food situation, The British attempt to starve Germany, he added, was ineffective as shown by the fact that Germany was releasing 2000000 quintals of wheat out of 270,000,000 quintals to France, (Meanwhile, the long-awaited American gift-ship, Cold Harbour, the first American vessel to enter the Mediterranean in six months arrived today at Marseilles, bringing US$500,000 worth of milk for babies and woollens, medicines and vitamin. concentrates-
Scores of French school-children lined the dock, greeting the liner by waving American and French flags, But the deepest gratitude came from millions of mothers throughout the free zone. For weeks now they have had to close their ears to the cries of their children whose hunger could not be appeased by the terrible shortage of milk rations, The rations are barely enough to keep the babies alive, "Meanwhile, Admiral' Leahy at Vichy announced that the third food ship within three weeks would arrive, but he did not mention when ther it would bring oat meal, which the British Government refuses to allow to be loaded.
"The United States Government arranged recently that an American Red Cross ship, which the British Government has agreed to allow to pass through he blockade, should bring France some badly needed supplies for children and the sick," Admiral Leahy said—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.