File No. 868.50/2
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page )
4467. The Greek Chargé d’Affaires in Washington has left at the Department translations of telegrams from his Government to the effect that the poor classes in Greece have begun to live on herbs, that epidemics of enteritis and dysenteria are rapidly spreading in the country, and that deaths have occurred, all as a result of starvation. The Greek Government states that “notwithstanding the complete execution of the Allies’ ultimatum no relaxation has been brought in the blocus.” The food that the Greek Government is anxious to import into Greece comes wholly from the United States.
Please take the matter up orally and unofficially with the Foreign Office, and endeavor to ascertain the intention of the Allied Governments in respect to the importation in future of foodstuffs into Greece.