New Britain herald., 1918-04-12
MAJ. GIDDlNGS BACK
 FROM FOREIGN TRIP
Reports England and France in
 Need Of Food Supplies

Hartford, April 12.-Detailed in- formation concerning the acute food situation in England and France was given here today in a statement made to a reporter by Major Howard A. Giddings, a mem bers of the Connecti- cut State Council of Defense, who re- turned to Hartford today after an of ficial trip to France as a memb Der of the Liberty Loan mission. Major Gid dings left France after the present offensive had begun. and arrived in this country on Wednesday. He rep resented the state defense council and Governor Marcus H. Holcomb on his Journey.
 Only two ounces of meat four times a week is the allowance given the people in England,' said Major Giddngs.
 Meat is sold or served only upon presentation of meat card. Travellers and guests at hotels must have cards and any one attending a dinner or banquet where meat is served must take his meat card with him. The food situation in England is much more serious than America realizes
 France has planty of meat but s,~ffers from restrictions on other foods Both countries are on a rigid war bread basis. Butter and sugar are never seen in the best hotels and re staurants in London. The absence of butter, sugar and pastry is also noticeable throughout France Fota- toes and fruit are scare and of poor quality in England and the same is true of the milk. The supply of milk in France is SO limited that 1t can not be served after a. m. Eggs are o1a T h11t S1.5O a dozen."
 Missed General Persl1ing.
 They hoped to see General Pershing at American headquarters but he was on a tour with Secretary of War Baker. It was their privilege to see great deal of the remarkable work being done by the American troops at the base camps. where preparations are being made on mammoth scale for the greater army to come and the supplies to maintain them.
 While in Paris, members of the mission were received by President Poincare and Marshal Joffre at the Palace of the Elysee. Bonar Law, Britain's chancellor of the eSchequer. received and talked with the mission in London. They also were enter tained by Lord Northcliffe. Consider
 
 Kindersley chairman of the British war bond and savings committee. England and France rely upon the United States" Major Giddings told 1 the interviewer. "It. is our job. We have tackled the biggest job in the l history of the world. It is a case of 1 go on or go under
 l Major Giddings will make a report l of his trip to Governor Holcomb and ! the State Council of Defense and will 1 then devote considerable time speak ing during the Liberty Loan campaign under the direction of the New Eng l land Liberty Loan committee.
 Found Public Cheerful. In spite of the alarming shortage l in food and the consequent sacrifices l demanded of the people of England and France, Major Giddings says he found them cheerful and confident. Their morale is splendid, He and the other members of the Liberty Loan mission are convinced that the plight of Americas Allies is not req lized by the American people. Amer ica. in their opinion, must wake up to the need for haste, particularly in building ships.
 'The winning of the war depends upon ships. man and money and upon ] bringing them into effective service before it is too late,'' was the em- phatic declaration of Major Giddings.
 Major Giddings left Hartford on January 29, taking with him special message to the Connecticut troops in France from Governor Marcus H. Holcomb. He was unable to visit the ! state troops because the great ofen- sive was just beginning and all per mits to visit the front lines had been revoked However, he forwarded the message to the front by courier. x l Arrangeme ments for the overseas visit of the Liberty Loan mission were made by Oscar T. Crosby, assistant secretary of the United States treas ury and president of the 1nter-Ally 1 commission on war purchases and ! finance. The commission has taken ever for it's use the Sunderland house, 1 the home of the Duchess of Marl- 1 borough, in London.
 Under Fire in Paris.
 While abroad Major Giddings ran l the gauntlet of the perils of war. He and other members of the mission l were in Paris during the first few days of the shelling of that city by l the Huns famous seventy-five mile l gun. During their stay in Paris the city was visited six times by air raid CTS, and 100 people were killed in one ! of the raids While in London there l were two air raids and 39 people
 killed in one.
 The bloodiest battlefelds of the
 war were visited by the American
 mission. They saw the ruination and
 desolation at Messenes Ridge, Tyres l Arras, Bapaume and Peronne. They l fo a