The Washington times., 1931-10-22
SEC. ST|MSON
MEETS HIM
At PIER
Brief Ceremony at City Hall
Before Special Train Has
Him on Way to Capital

Continued From Page -
lie de France shortly after 2
o'clock this morning.
It was not until 9:24 a. m. that
the city tug Macon landed him
at the Battery, where, for the first
time, he stepped foot on Amer
tcan soil. to receive the welcome
and freedom of the city and the
acclaim of the nation.
The French statesman took time
in New York only for a brief but
elaborate ceremony of welcome at
the City Hall and a hurried auto
mobile ride to the station, where
he and his encourage boarded the
business car of George lie Boutil-
lier, vice president of the Penn
sylvania Railroad, which was at
tached to a special train and de.
parted for Washington at 11:25
q. M, Is minutes late.
Only a few strays Of ticker
tape waited down upon the auto.
mobile of Premier Laval, as it
swept up Broadway to City Hall
from the Battery. But the
interest in the great visitor was
tremendous. The street and the
office windows were black with
people, who craned their necks
to see the foreign potentate
arrive.
Confident of Success
The pause at the City Hall,
however, was long enough for NJ.
Laval not only to acknowledge
the welcome extended by Secre-
tary of State StimsOn, by Mayor
Walker, by Albert H. Wiggin,
chairman of the Board of the
Chase National Bank and head
Of the city's reception committee,
but also to express confidence IN
the success of his mission.
In his formal address at the
City Hall and in his converse.
ton with reporters aboard the
Macon, the premier displayed an
eagerness to assure the people
Of the United States and of the
world that his visit to President
Hoover is inspired by a desire
to unite France and the United
States "in an ever-increasing co
operation" that I'VE may look
forward 20 better things"
That M. Laval hopes to
achieve solution to the ever
present problem of French Sc.
curity" was indicated clearly by
his assertion at city hall that he
believed that the American peo-
pie, "combing their deep sense
Of reality with their noble ideal
ism. will respond if necessary
to calls which may reach them
from the Old World"
He then added:
Il speak in the name of a
country which is determined to
join its efforts with yours to
ward off the dangers which
menace our civilization"
GreetS American People
Before leaving the lie de
france, the premier had pre-.
pared a communique, which was
handed to the reporters. This
statement extended greetings to
the American people, iterated
that "a great and living friend.
ship unites" France and the
United States, which will be
ignally strengthened by the con-
versa tionS" M. Laval is to have
Nth President Hoover. The
Statement continued:
Cali governments must labor
to Danish suffering and restore
prosperity; they must devote
themselves increasingly to the
consolidation of peace, and it is
to make my contribution to this
noble task that I left my cOun-
try and have come to confer
with the President Of your great
and friendly republic"
In an informal interview with
reporters, the French political
leader, with M. Paul Claudel
French ambassador to Washing
ton, acting as interpreter, refused
to amplify the statements con
tanned in his communique and in
his speech at city hall.
He answered general questions
smilingly and regretted his in
ability to reply in English to the
reporters queries. He said this
was his first visit to the United
States, and that he hoped it
would not be his last: that he had
never travelled so far in all Of his
48 years as he has since he be-
came premier Of France.
He admitted enjoying his first
ocean voyage and denied smilingly
the intimation that he might have
suffered from "mal de mer."
M. Laval pulled from his pocket
q packet of American cigarettes
for which he expressed keen
liking.
kAR oNIoI In&rndIInoe