The British Prime Minister (Churchill) to President Roosevelt 53
No. 730. I ought to send you the immediately following minute54 I have received from Mr. Llewellin, the British Food Minister. We wish to do everything we can to help you and Mr. Hull with the South American countries; but we think you ought to have the formidable arguments of this minute before you. Please remember that this community of 46,000,000 imported 66,000,000 tons a year before the war and is now managing on less than 25,000,000. The stamina of the workman cannot be maintained on a lesser diet in meat. You would not send your soldiers into battle on the British service meat ration, which is far above what is given to workmen. Your people are eating per head more meat and more poultry than before the war while ours are most sharply cut. I believe that if this were put before Mr. Hull he would do all he could to help us to obtain a new contract55 and nothing which would jeopardize its chances. I therefore hope that you will do so.