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Show FRANCE 15 TRIG TO AID SWITZERLAND Port of Cette Is Reserved for Traffic to That War-Stricken War-Stricken Region. WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 Arrangements Arrange-ments have been made by the French government to alleviate the practical isolation of Switzerland because of the war conditions at French ports, which, ordinarily, handlo Swiss import business. busi-ness. A report made public tftday by the department of commerce from Vice Con-Bui Con-Bui DeWitt C. Poole at Paris, says France has set aside the port of Cette solely for the use of ocean traffic for transshipment to the inland republic. Swiss authorities have made repeated f ' and vigorous representations to he allied al-lied powers, setting forth the disastrous domestic conditions caused by the almost al-most total stopping ot Imports and seeking seek-ing some means of securing supplies, particularly foodstuffs. It has oeen i stated that Switzerland was in a fair way to be confronted by a serious shortage of food. Vice Consul Poole's report said: , Replying to an inquiry bv the American embassy, the French for- eign office says," substantially, as ! follows: "The port of Cette has been reserved re-served for Swiss traffic; being outside out-side of the zouo of military op-i op-i erations, it is relieved of sudden congestion. Other French ports, however, are not closed to Swiss traffic and the administration will endeavor to meet the demands at these ports, especially as to shipments ship-ments of small tonnage, but makes no guarantees. Shippers using routes other than Cette do so at their own risk. The French administration ad-ministration considers that Cette, as now equipped, can meet the requirements re-quirements of the Swiss import trade as well as may be expected.'' i Recently extensive improvements were undertaken at Cette and modern C terminal apparatus for handling ocean traffic was installed. |