Evening star., 1940-02-29
Food Rationinq
||sDecreedby by
French Cabinet
Sweeping Measures
Regiment Nation
Further for War

ALLIED AND GERMAN warplanes
scout across Rhine; Nazis report
capture of numerous" prisoners in
repulsing French. Page AS
HUNGARIANS GUARD French
Legation against passport trafIic;
40 Czech refugees reported har-
bored in Budapest ofice. Page AS
BRITISH SHIPPING declared in
worse condition than in 1914; for
eign owners obtain advantage,
mercantile marine chamber told.
Page ALA
WARNING NET SEEN necessary for
defense Of Panama Canal; security
of waterway not absolute, says
Eliot, in spite of fortifications.
Page A-19
BRITAIN RESTRICTS Palestine
Arab land sales to Jews; acts to
prevent fresh diffculties; move
sharply criticized. Page A-20
BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, Feb. 29.-The French gov
ernment today adopted a sweeping
series Of economic and financial
measures, regimenting the nation
for the fight against Germany.
The cabinet, meeting under Pres
ident Albert Lebrun, approved the
institution of food ration cards,
lower quality bread and generally
reduced consumption, accompanied
by increased production, in order
to shoulder the tremendous finan-
cial burden of the war.
Great Britain and Germany al
ready have rationing systems.
Finance Minister Paul Reynaud
was to explain the DEGREES to the
nation in a broadcast tonight. 1t
was expected he would disclose the
date when the DEGREES become
effective.
Women to Make Munitions.
France also took steps to put wom-
en- into her munitions plants and
release the men for the vital work
of farming. 1t was estimated 280, 600
women already are engaged in the
dangerous work Of mixing gun
powder and making bullets and
laboring on the assembly lines of
aviation plants.
France already has three meat
less days week, and on the four
other days restaurants are forbid
den to serve more than one meat
dish a person. Other foods. how
ever, have not been rationed.
Before the cabinet session the
Chamber of Deputies began a weeks
debate on French agricultural pol
icies. Speakers termed the wheat
situation critical" because OF gov
.rnment meddling and demanded re-
lease of men In military service in
order to assure spring planting to
provide food for the nation.
The government already has re-
Questioned all farmers to hold them
to the soil for maintenance of farm
production.
AS the cabinet met, Paris students
pushed wheelbarrows loaded with
scrap iron to the Pantheon, burial
place OF French heroes, and deposited
it as contribution to French war
resources.
There are 10 sets of DEGREES in
all A communique issued after a
45-minute cabinet meeting this aft
ernoon announced only the titles of
the DEGREES.
Cut in Imports Aided.
The first decree was entitled "rel-
ative to spending abroad" in line
with the Governments policy of re-
ducing ordinary imports to conserve
foreign exchange for extraordinary
was purchases.
A second group of measures "des-
tined to restrain consumption pro-
vided for "a general census for dis
tribution of rationing cards and
control of retail food centers.
Food measures included the coars-
ening of bread flour.
A third decree frightened price
control.
A fourth set of measures provided
grants to farmers to increase spring
wheat planting, cultivation of farm
lands in army zones and reduction
of customs duties on farm machin-
cry.
DEGREES also were signed which
were designed to facilitate French
exports, to regulate the employment
of women, to fight waste in civil
and military administrations and to
provide easier taxes for landlords
deprived of rents because of the war.
An agreement with the Bank of
France, apparently to provide fur
ther aid to the treasury, also was
announced.