The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-29
Mailed Fist" OliDe
 Branch For Europe
tcontinued from Page D

the air force agreement is the most important feature of the entire con- ference.
 Britain has expressed concern al the rate of German airplane build ing. Little is known of actual figures Nevertheless the belief is that Bri- tain is building toward a fleet oi 10000 planes and 1t is certain that France and Britain could put into the air today fleet of 5000 fighting planes. Neither country lists its re- serve planes at all, and in Britain's case there are two, three or more reserve planes behind every first line plane.
 Side by side with the agreement on military action, Britain took in- dependent measures to build up q food reserve against war. A plan was published today which showed that arrangements for the government to take over the task of feeding the population within few. hours of the outbreak of war had reached an advanced stage, and it was known that already the government con- trolled tremendous stores of wheat sugar and oil.
 Food Reserve Plans
 This plan was made public by the food defense plans department of the board of trade Ca government department in Great Britain).
 It includes control and organiza ton of supplies, regulation of con- sumers' demands, measures to pre- vent profiteering, rationing of meat sugar, butter and other essentials and assurance of equality of sacri- flee among the people in event ot shortage. Activities are to be cen tralized under food controller. The country is divided into 15 areas, ex- cluding London, and local commit tees are to be responsible for adjust ing needs and issuing ration cards Meat would be rationed, probably from the outset of hostilities. Owing to the danger of air raids food stocks would be dispersed widely.
 Today, resuming their conference at No. 10 Downing Street, the French premier and foreign minis ter and Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Viscount Halifax foreign secretary, took up the Sub- ject of Central Europe, particularly Czechoslovakia.
 Thus they turned from their un- written alliance to the problems that caused the alliance.
 An Urgent Message
 There are reports that the foreign office had sent an urgent message to the Czechoslovakian government asking clarification of some points in a proposed offer to the German minority, and that an answer was requested by this morning. The of- fer had been outlined in a memo randum submitted to the foreign office by the Czechoslovakian min- ister here.
 But it was understood that not only Czechoslovakia but Hungary occupied the attention of the con- ferees.
 The French government was un- derstood to have expressed beliet that the threat of an internal up. heaval in Hungary by Hungarian Nazis was more immediate than an, possibilities as regards Czechoslo Vakia,
 As regards Czechoslovakia, the he lief seemed to be that there wa danger not so much of any militar, aggression from outside as a delib. crate process of sapping the econ. omic strength of the country as tha Czechoslovakia would become a vir. tual vassal state-a vassal state o1 Germany.
 Thus it was proposed that France and Britain should increase theil trade with Czechoslovakia. She ex- ports glass. sugar and iron and stee and she also exports some of the finest arms in the world, particular ly machine rifles and artillery.
 Forced to War Program
 Britain has been forced to pre- pare for war but she persists in ar active search for peace. Her agree ment with fascist Italy was regard ed as a distinct victory for peace and one which greatly strengthened Britain's position. There seemed tc be a belief here tha' though the "Berlin-Rome axis" of cooperation between Italy and Germany re- mained in being, the British Italian treaty went long way toward mak- ing it an instrument of diploma tic cooperation only. Britain wants tc make sure that if Italy is not hel ally in possible war, neither vii she be an enemy.
 Because of Britain's active search for peace, it was believed that the possibility of British German agreement occupied the conferees for some time today.
 Conference Quits at 8 A. M.,
 The British and French leaders adjourned at 1:05 p. m. (8:O5 a. m EDT) and walked across Downing street to the foreign office, where Viscount Halifax was host at lunch "a lunch that was really a contin- uation of the conference.
 It was said in well informed quarters that reports that agree ment had been reached that ir event of war a Frenchman would command the British and French armies were inaccurate. It was said that in the case or any fighting service, it would be we'll to wal, until a war came to decide what men, and of which country. Were