The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-23
EUROPE Halls
LAVAL AS ITS
WONDER MAN
Plain as Old Shoe, Premier
Is Newest Type of World
Statesman.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
seripps- Howard Forefxn Editor

seripps Howard Foreign Editor
Folks, meet NJ. Pierre Laval, pre-
mier of France.
~ You must address him as Mon
sieur lie President, his title being
president of the council of minis
tiers.
He is the real chief executive
the president of France, by consti-
tuition and precedent having to
confine his activities largely to pre-
siding at banquets and opening
fairs.
Premier Laval is regarded by
europeans as a wonder-man, one
OF the most remarkable and ablest
OF old world statesmen. Yet he is
hardly more than one year old in
the exclusive circle of rulers.
A year and a half. ago, in Paris,
Andre Tardieu was premier. I
never heard Lavals name men
toned.
It's Time Everywhere
In France a few weeks ago every
body was talking about him. And
found the same thing was true
Of London, Rome and Berlin. He
came into the European sky like
meteor, but observers say he's really
star.
Laval probably is the worlds most
democratic head of a f1rst-class gov
eminent. He doesn't know the
meaning Of high-hat.
On the evening Of the crucial day
in London last July when the seven
power conference reached its deci-
sion regarding Germany, I was Sit
ting in the room of French cor
respondent at the Carlton. I asked
question regarding the duration
Of the newly granted short-term
loan extensions.
Search mel" the Frenchman re-
plieda with a shrug. But give me
E moment and III soon find out"
Plan as Old Shoe
Grabbing the telephone, he called
Tor the operator.
Operator" he said Give me
q room so and so. :. Thank you. &.
Is that you, Mr.. PRESIDENT? Yes. .
?. This is Edmond. Listen now
about those German loans. ="
That's Laval. Plain as an old
shoe, While delegates to inter
national parleys usually make them
+. selves exclusive, lodging in and out
side doors to escape contact with
D. the common herd, Laval, at London,
as likely as not was that swarthy
little man at your elbow chatting
with the crowd in the lobby.
The premier is AZ. Put a fez on
him and he'd pass for Ahmed Bey
or something. He looks like a Turk
dark, rather thick lips. black
mustache and eyebrows. Hair the
same, usually tousled.
Styles Don't Bother Him
Sartorially he pleases himself.
Styles don't bother him. His one
standby as a fancy dresser is a white
tie, which he even wears hunting or
fishing.
Laval was born in Auvergne. Au- |
vergne is the Scotland of France.
Lots of mountains and sheep. Like
the Scots, the Auvergnats are hardy,
thrifty, stubborn, hard-headed and
usually get along no matter how far
or how high they go.
Pierre Layals father, they say,
ran bakery and an inn, and Pierre
delivered bread and met all the
trains in the ramshackly bus. But,
like Abe Lincoln, he studied while
doing the family chores and got
ahead.
He studied law and was elected
mayor Then deputy and senator
But still nobody heard of him. be-
cause that wasn't the kind Of man
= he was He wasn't one of those loud,
speechifying politicians, but a quiet,
effective worker.
1t Wasn't SO
When the scintillating Andre
Tardieu waS overthroWn something
more than a year ago, Laval stepped
in. But even then Europe thought
oh, we'll! Just another one of those
81 stop-gap governments" and went
ON about its business.
But no So Statesman Laval
% sprouted so fast you could see him
(. grow He never had been out OF
France in his life but, overnight, he
~ seemed to grasp the whole world
: situation. And he got things done
by button-holing leaders in the cor
ridors and comforting with people
Poor, feeble Aristide BRAND,
Il Frances invaluable man of peace"
" rapidly is breaking up So Europe
= is hoping that Laval will pick up
Brands torch and carry on. No
nIcn ic In, 81