The French envoy was understood to have sought the interview with the Foreign Minister under instructions from his home Government, which were expected hourly for the past day, and which have held up signing of the terms of the accord.
The French Embassy here late last night, it was reliably disclosed, received its final instructions from the Vichy Government regarding Japan's mediation proposal, but submission of the French reply could not be made immediately because of delay in decoding the message and study of the instructions.
It will be recalled that Bangkok's instructions to Thai delegates at Tokyo arrived Saturday night, and the only hitch in' reaching an accord was the French delay.
Despite repeated delays, however, official optimism regarding "Japan's first efforts at international mediation was unabated throughout the weekend.
Earlier today initialling of the accord was held possible this evening by well informed sources depending upon the character of the French answer to the final terms of mediation agreed upon locally. to allow the U.S.S. Exmouth to bring 300 tons of oatmeal to occupied France.
"The British blockade has no pity for French children and invalids," said a headline in the "Moniteur," Clermont-Ferrand newspaper of M, Pierre Laval.
The papers featured the failure of the French Ambassador to Washington and Mr. Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, to obtain authorization for the Exmouth to pass the blockade zone to occupied France—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.