London, Mar, 11, IHE statement by Admiral: Francois Darlan, Vichy Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister, that French warships would escort French cargo ships if the British continued their "interference," was commented upon by a spokesman of the British Ministry of Economic Warfare last night, The spokesman. told. Reuters' diplomatic correspondent "Admiral Darlan stated he was still hopeful of: an understanding with \Britain over this matter.
We in this country, hoped, and continue to hope, that France will understand our blockade policy. If there were any means of helping unoccupied France' without helping Germany, the British Government always would be pre-Pared to consider them, but so far no proposals have been put forward.
"It must be remembered that the French Government has accepted the principle of economic "cooperation Germans Trying to with Germany. Admiral Darian muy be responsible for feeding 40.000.000 Provoke Incident people in France, Britain, however {sighting to free not 40.000,000 people London, Mar. 11, in France. but many times that The Germans obviously were deber of enslaved people. of Europe. sirous of provoking an AngloyFrench Including those "fame 40,000,000 tiaval incident, a spokesman of the Frenchmen"
Economic Warfare Ministry said to-'The Germans may have released day when asked to comment on the 2,000,000 quintals of wheat for France, French warning regarding the Bute ¢his scarcely reflects any German Ish blockade of French food ships. Admiral. Francois Darian, French Vice-Premier and concurrently For.
in France in sever. months, the eign and Navy Minister, yesterday spokesman added,—Peuter, Vichy publicly told American. ce respondents that he would order the US.A, Interested French Fleet soon to protect French food ships unless' the British would Washington, Mar, 11, show more understanding of France's tis regarded here as likely that exceedingly serious food situation. the United States will intercede in the "There were indications here, how-blockade dispute between Great Briever, that Admiral Darlan's threats {ain and the Vichy Government, which would not likely change Britain's evidently viewes gravely' here, blockade policy.
How far, however, the United States The Economic Warfare Ministry Government Is prepared. to go. spokesman pointed out that "Admiral seeking concessions from Britain, is a lan omitted to mention that It Is matter of conjecture, ly Britain's fault: that Germany President Roosevelt himself, it will hag refused to allow exports. from bbe recalled, was responsible for oboccupied France, where 80 per cent, {ining Britain's consent to despatch fof French wiiest grows." ik, clothing and medicines 10 un= 'Admiral Davlan said that he would occupied France—Reuter, not order the French Fleet to escort French food ships for the next few 'Vichy 'Threatens "War' weeks in the hope that Britain would change her attitude. He warned, New York, Mar. 11, however, that after that time limit 'The Vichy Government yesterday We definitely would order French threatened to embark ona policy aval vessels to act ay convoys and vhich almost certainly would lead to thus risk' on' armed clash, armed clashes and "even possible He also pointed out France was in var" with Great Britain. dire need of wheat and. that the The threat was made by Admiral Germans had shown a more generous Francois Darlan, Vice-Premier and attitude than the British in allowing concurrently Foreign and Navy Min-the French 2,000,000 quintals" of ter, and apparently was backed by wheat earmarked for feeding the /Mershal Philippe Petain, German Army of Occupation Admiral-Datlan asserted arly that France—United Press he was prepared to use the French Fleet if necessary to convoy food trough the "British "blockade "to
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