845.5018/9–2046: Telegram
The Commissioner in India (Merrell) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
[Received 5:10 p.m.]
965. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru is sending following personal message to Acting Secretary through Agency General:
“In view of very serious food situation in India which is being aggravated by delay in arrival of promised allotments due to shipping strikes in America, would earnestly request you and, through you, the labour leaders to permit and arrange for earliest despatch of food ships to India. We would be very grateful to you and to the labour leaders concerned if they will make a special exception in favour of sending food grains abroad which will bring urgently needed relief to millions of people”.
Am sure Nehru would appreciate widest publicity.