Show U UI U. S Si S. SHIPS FOOD OFFERED EIRE WASHINGTON May 20 UP UP- UP PI- PI President Roosevelt disclosed Tuesday that the States had offered to sell or charter chart r two ships to o Ireland and to supply worth of food for the Irish civilian population Mr Roosevelt said the vessels could be placed under the Irish flag lag and that they probably would I carry arry much more than In n food indicating that Ireland Intended intended in- in tended ended to make purchases of her own wn Nothing has been done he said about supplying military equipment equipment equipment equip equip- ment to the Irish The Eire government for severa several sevra sev- sev era eral ra weeks has been seeking maritime mari mari- time ime commission approval for the purchase of two ships in this country country coun- coun try ry for transporting supplies to Ireland reland N Robert Brennan the Irish minIster minster min mm- later ster said it was planned to purchase pur- pur chase hase about a dozen ships in all allf If f the maritime commission indicated indi- indi approval Frank Aiken Irish defense minister minster min mm- ister ster has been in the United States for or several weeks in connection with vilh his governments government's efforts to purchase both food and defense supplies Both Brennan and Aiken have declared that American officials did not raise the question of possible possible pos- pos sible ible British use of Irish naval bases ases during the discussions here As for sending military supplies to o Ireland it was learned the position post post- tion ion of this government is that the United States is turning out defense defense defense de de- de- de materials for which the demand demand demand de de- de- de mand is at least two or three times the he supply Consequently the general rule is that hat all weapons which can be spared are being sent to nations actually waging war against ag- ag That would leave the Irish rish out Minister Brennan told reporters Tuesday he had discussed the tile question ques ques- tion ion this morning with Davis He I indicated the Irish government would accept the offer The minister said there were many thousand refugees in Ireland Ireland Ire- Ire land and most of whom had been driven en from their homes in England and northern Ireland by nazi bombings bomb- bomb lags ings and the food would be greatly helpful in caring for them The Irish have purchased one ship it was learned which is now being loaded in New York |