Evening star., 1935-01-06
L DUCE AND LAVAL
HOLD PEACE VITAL
Early ItaIo-French Accord
Indicated on Austrian
Independence.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ROME. January 5.-Benito Musso-
lini and Pierre Laval, representatives
of two of Europe's most powerful
nations, tonight publicly pledged them
to friendship and active collabora-
ton in the cause of peace.
The peace of Europe remains pre-
carious," Frances foreign minister
said at the brilliant banquet II Duce
gave for him in the Venezia palace,
"and requires the attentive care of
statesmen"
The continents peoples. Laval said.
"are not willing to wait any longer"
for peace.
In stirring speeches, Mussolini and
his French guest foreshadowed the
signing of Italo-French accords de-
signed to guarantee Austria's inde-
pendence, fortify the structures of
peace and wipe out long-standing
differences between the two nations.
Laval Praises Mussolini.
I'VE have given rise to great hopes" I"
Laval said. I'VE will not deceive
them. Peace must be maintained and
consolidated.
Our civilization cannot disappear.
Listen to the lesson of the past. It
is: Always in war is it that civiliza-
tions sink.
Are we to be at the moment in
the history of man where he dreams
of destroying with brutal hands that
which his genius has created?"
The French foreign minister praised
his host as writer of the most beau-
tiful page in the history of modern
Italy"
Mussolini said he and Laval hope
not only to bring about "an arrange
ment of particular questions concern
secration of the ideals which come
from our community of origin, and of
which people have the greatest need
in time of uneasiness and incertitude
like the present"
Invites Aid of Others.
The Franco Italian conversations
are not designed to cause renuncia-
ton of their respective friendships
in Central Europe, the premier said.
1T is a question of harmonizing
in the Danubian Basin the interests
and vital necessities of each state"
he explained, with the exigencies as
a whole for the purpose of European
peace.
Seen in this larger sense, our
accords cannot be interpreted as con-
trary to, or exclusive of, the in
of
to bring their collaboration to the
work we wish to begin"
MuSsolini declared Italo-F French
rapprochement of vast European
significance" He ended by toasting
an entente between the two govern
ments as "the first meeting point in
the policies of two great Latin coun-
tries" p
African Question Discussed. -
It was understood Laval and Mus
solini made particular progress on
colonial questions, instructing their
experts to work out the details of con-
cessions France will make in Africa.
A final communique summing up
the accomplishments of the CONVERSE
tions was not expected before Monday.
More than 1000 guests-the pick
of Italy's officialdom and aristocracy-
gathered in the Palazzo Venezia to-
night for the elaborate reception and
dinner given for Laval.
Police sources revealed this after
noon that more than TOO plain clothes
men have been brought to Rome to
help guard Laval.
A two-hour conversation between
Laval and II Duce In the Palazzo
Venezia this morning carried them
well along toward agreements con-
corning Italo- French issues in Europe
and Africa. At its conclusion Laval
told newspaper men the two men had
made great progress.
An Italian government spokesman
said Laval and Mussolini would meet
again tomorrow morning, and indi-
Gated still another conference might
be necessary Monday. Laval plans
to return to Paris Tuesday.