FOOD FOR FRANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25289, 24 August 1945, Page 7

FOOD FOR FRANCE

IMPORTS ARRANGED MEAT, SUGAR AND FATS AGREEMENT WITH ALLIES (Kecd. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 23 Many hundreds of thousands of French people who were expected to suffer acutely from lack of food in the winter months are now assured of a reasonable amoun of nourishment. The Minister of Food, M. Pineau, after visiting Britain and America, announced that, under the Anglo-French agreement signed in Washington France would buy a minimum of 10 per cent of the meat obtained under British-Argentine j contract. Britain also agreed to advance France 50.000 tons of sugar which France would return from the French West Indies. France va~, also to import from the • United States and Canada 350,000 tons of wheat a month, of which 200,000 tons were going to French North Africa. M. Pineau also said that the Combined Food Board in Washington had allocated France 200,000 tons of fats for the second half of this year. France was also importing, principally from the United States, 60,000 tons of meat, both tinned and carcases, by the end of the year and 1.000,000 tons of agricultural machinery, chemical manure and insecticides a month. .M. Pineau promised the people that they would receive an average of 2500 ' food calorics a day by October. France - would receive as much imports as she could handle with her present port facilities. _ The Paris radio says France has asked the United States for a credit of £60.000.000. This is to enable her to buy agricultural products hitherto supplied under lend-lease. UNHAPPY AUGURY DE GAULLE'S PROBLEMS ENDING OF LEND-LEASE (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Aug. 22 The fact that General de Gaulle's arrival in Washington coincided with President Truman's announcement of the cessation of lend-lease is not considered the happiest augury, since it is generally considered the most concrete object, of the visit is to ensure the rapid transit to France of coal, raw materials and other reconstruction equipment, says the Washington correspondent of the New York Times. If the influx of supplies should slow down in the next two months, adding to the long series of disappointments the French have experienced since the liberation. General de Gaulle's prestige would suffer a serious blow on the eve of the first, national election since the liberation. It is now generally accepted that only outside aid. _ principally coal, can ensure the _ social and political stability of France in the coming winter. UNRRA RELIEF PLANS ITALY AND AUSTRIA VIEWS AT COUNCIL MEETING LONDON, Aug. 22 The TJnrra Council at today's plenary meeting decided that Italy and Austria should be included in its programme of relief and rehabilitation. The United States proposed the inclusion of" Italy on the grounds that Italy, being the first Axis Power to break with Hitler, had materially contributed to Germany's defeat and had later joined the Allies against Japan. She was making good progress toward the re-establishment of democratic government. The Yugoslav delegate protested against Italy being placed on an equal i footing with the countries which had fought against Nazism throughout the war. He said the Italians, during two and a-half years' occupation of Yugoslavia, had pillaged the country, doing damage amounting to many' millions. The time had not arrived for Yugoslavian relations to become normal. Italy had not given sufficient evidence that she had definitely broken with Fascism. The British delegate, Mr J. B. Hynd, said that, while the world appreciated the Yugoslavs' sufferings, Unrra's purpose wag not to reward or punish, but to avoid a catastrophe. The Chinese delegate, supporting the inclusion of former enemy countries in the programme, said'tKat if the administration at any time discussed extending its scope to the Japanese people, he personally would supi port it. The Director-General, Mr H. H. Lehman, explained that the extension of relief to Italy and Austria did not mean that those countries would be 1 helped immediately. After the present ; military aid ceased organisations must : be set up and supplies procured.. The > administration must Tcnow what funds were available. The resolution to aid Italv and Austria was carried by 29 votes to Jugoslavia's one. South Africa refrained from voting. ; HALIFAX RETURNING ! POST IN WASHINGTON ! (Kecd. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 23 Th? Daily Herald says that Earl i Halifax is shortly returning to Wash- > ington as British Ambassador. i | MONTGOMERY INJURED , PLANE CRASHES INTO TREE . (Kecd. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 23 ) b ield - Marshal Montgomery was slightly injured when his place crashed into a tree at the airport near OldenGermany. He delayed his visit to the Canadians long enough to receive cursory first aid. Then he carried on his programme, which included a 30- | minute speech, the inspection of the suard of honour and the presentation ol medals. Field-Marshal Montgomerv • later returned to the hospital for a 1 more detailed patching up before 1 attending a luncheon. Field-Marshal .Montgomery was X--1 rayed after returning to headquarters j by air, revealing a slight injury to the -pine. He was sent to bed. He commented: "I am lucky to be alive. My I plane is a complete wreck." ; POSTPONING MEETING FOREIGN MINISTERS (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, An?. 22 The Secretary of State, Mr J. F. Byrnes, announced at a press conference'that he had proposed that the London meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers be deferred from t September 1 to September 10 because ■ of problems which had arisen from the ! end of the Japanese war. Two of the ) five other nations forming the council had agreed so far. Mr Bvrnes said he considered that 1 the Italian armistice terms should be , revised, although this was a matter for the Foreign Ministers' Council. He ; added that it would not be helpful to i Italy to have the tornrs published as original!v written. ~ •Mr Bvrnes, when asked if the council would meet at a place cut-off from#® press as at Potsdam, said the Foreign Ministers would decide the Pohcy. He nointed out that the Potsdam talKa ■m held irithin the B.Mian IiMS trf , occupation. Conditions m London, »• was sure, would be different.