Vichy, Mar. 9.
Ways and means of increasing the production of coal in the unoccupied areas of France were discussed at a meeting held here today between M. Pierre Pucheu, Secretary of State for Industrial Production, and the directors and engineers of the various mines in unoccupied France.
Mr. Pucheu conferred first with the Chief Engineers of these mines, and then with the directors and other mining engineers, M. Pucheu thanked them for the considerable efforts they exerted in their feld of activity since 1938, these efforts being rewarded when the production of coal in unoccupied France rose from 9,200,000 tons in 1988 to 10,280,000 tons in 1939 and 12,500,000 fons in 1940.
Although it is seemingly impossible io improve on these figures, M. Pucheu stressed that the present circumstances demand exceptional methods and an exceptional determination. he said, M. Pucheu stressed that he would help the mining industry to the fullest extent "in order to win the coal battle upon which the very—existence of the country depends."
He then announced that special measures had been adopted regard} ing food for miners, and said that the 20 per cent, reduction in the daily bread ration would not apply io miners—Havas,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.