BRITAIN’S WELCOME TO FRENCH PRESIDENT

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 152, 23 March 1939, Page 9

BRITAIN’S WELCOME TO FRENCH PRESIDENT

Thousands Cheer Arrival At Dover And London SIGNIFICANT OCCASION IN TWO COUNTRIES’ RELATIONS “Same Principles Of Justice And Respect For Treaties” By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. LONDON, March 22. Thousands cheered the French President and Madame Lebrun on their arrival at Dover on their State visit to England yesterday. Destroyers and R.A.F. machines met M. Lebrun’s ship in mid-Channel. Battleships and shore batteries fired a salute at Dover, where the visitors were welcomed by the Duke of Gloucester and the French Ambassador, M. Corbin. The party left for London by special train, and the King and Queen welcomed M. and Madame Lebrun at Victoria Station. Thousands of people cheered along the route to Buckingham Palace. The King wore a Field-Marshal’s uniform and the Queen wore a suit in the new Mayflower shade of lilac, with a hat surmounted by an ostrich feather. The King, M. Lebrun, the Duke of Gloucester, and the Duke of Kent rode in the first carriage, and the Queen, Madame Lebrun, and the Duchesses of Gloucester and Kent in the second. The procession to the Palace, which was escorted by Life Guards, was via Whitehall and the Mall. The entire route was dressed in gala style, including Union Jacks and Tricolours. M. Lebrun constantly acknowledged the thunderous cheers of the crowds.

Upon the party’s arrival at the Palace the Princesses were presented to the visitors. Princess Elizabeth, speaking in French, thanked the children of France for sending dolls to her. In response to appeals by the crowd, Their Majesties, the Princesses, and JI. and Madame Lebrun appeared on the Palace balcony for three minutes and a half. Yesterday evening Their Majesties gave a State banquet at Buckingham Palace in honour of M. and Madame Lebrun, and this was followed by a reception. The King wore an admiral’s uniform and the Queen wore a dress of white slipper satin with a wide lace Skirt. She wore a diamond tiara, necklace and bracelets. President Lebrun and Madame Lebrun sat to the right and left of His Majesty. Men in brilliant uniforms and women in costly gowns and jewels occupied the remainder of the horseshoe table. The guests included Queen Mary, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, the Princess Royal ( Princess Alice, Princess Helene Victoria, Princess Marie Louise, the Earl of Athlone, Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain, members of Cabinet, Mr. C. R. Attlee and Ambassadors and diplomats.

Identity of Interests.

The King, welcoming M. and Madame Lebrun, assured the President of the cordiality with which Britons greeted him as the head of a great and friendly nation. The toast of FrancoBritish relations had never been proposed witli a deeper sincerity or on a more significant occasion. “Our own people,'.’ said His Majesty, “united in their devotion to the rule of law, are conscious of an identity of interests, making the identity of eacli the common concern of both. Statesmen of the two nations are thus enabled to take mutual counsel with perfect confidence in the fact that their co-oiK?ratiou will continue to render great services to peace. “They are to the utmost anxious to agree on a solution of the world’s grave problems, but they will not be a party to a solution violating the principles rightly- governing international relations.' We recognize tlie difficulties ahead, but we can look to the future faithfully and hopefully conscious that our strength and tlie immortal qualities of our peoples in mind and spirit will be manifest above all in the hour of danger.” His Majesty then proposed the toast of President and Madame Lebrun and the greatest prosperity of the glorious French nation. M. Lebrun’s Reply. M. Lebrun, replying in French to his welcome, said: “Sire, no mark of sympathy could be more precious than such expressions of welcome. London’s acclamations today responded Paris’s cheers in July. The harmony between the two capitals symbolizes the friendship of two Empires whose territories adjoin at many points and whose moral frontiers blend.

“This friendship is a natural and necessary condition of the existence of our countries, and mutual understanding ceaselessly strengthens it. Our peoples draw from this ideal growing encouragement to serve it. Their principles embrace the same conceptions of tumour, justice, human dignity and respect for treaties and the pledged word, and their attachment to libertyin thought, speech and writing. They show tlie same solicitude for non-in-tervention in the internal affairs of other .States and the same love of peace. “Our voters become alarmed whenever such principles are che’cked, and demand stronger armaments in order to reaffirm their security and promote general peace. English and French statesmen, by combining their efforts, will help tlie world to surmount its present troubles." M. Lebrun toasted Their Majesties, the Royal Family, and the prosperity of the United Kingdom, lie also conveyed France's best wishes to the Empire. FRANCE HONOURS DUKE OF KENT I Independent Cable Service.) LONDON, March 21. President Lebrun lias conferred the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on the Duke of Kent.

THE VISIT IN LIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS Dramatic Intensity Added To Warmth Of Welcome (British Oflicial Wireless.) (Received March 22, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, March 21. Recent events added dramatic intensity to the warmth of the welcome accorded to M. and Madatne Lebrun, and the spontaneous enthusiasm of the crowds continued to be in evidence throughout the day. Thus, when the visitors this afternoon were driving to Marlborough House to visit Queen Mary, people surged into the roadway and the car was brought to a standstill as men and women pressed round cheering wildly and waving miniature British and French flags.

M. and Madame Lebrun also visited the Institute Franeais at South Kensington and heard tlie building declared open by the Princess Royal, who is co-patron of the institute with M. Lebrun.

In welcoming M. Lebrun all newspapers make reference to the unexpected political importance, which, because of the events of tlie last few days, the visit has acquired and emphasize that the ties which unite the two countries are recognized more clearly than ever before.

Referring to Hie conversations than will be held during the visit, “The Times” says that both M. Bonnet, French Foreign Minister, who accompanied M. Lebrun, and Lord Halifax have been engaged during tlie hist week in a whole scries of conversations with Ministers of the countries which have been alienated by the German policy of violence and which have been drawn together by common ideas as to how the dealings of one State with another State should be conducted. Recalling the hopes entertained at the close of the Royal visit to Paris last July, “The Times" says: "It was hoped then that Germany would be one of the community of nations basing themselves on fair dealing and accept tlie need for restraint and consultation which any- association of nations alwavs necessarily imposes. But Herr Hitler has chosen otherwise. “As Lord Halifax stated in the House of Lords. Herr Hitler has completelyrepudiated the spirit of Munich, the essence of which was that an advance from it to a general settlement should be achieved by way of consultation. Herr Hitler consulted last week with no one but his own subordinates. “The position has been entirely changed from what it was even a few days ago because we are now, in Lord Halifax’s words, confronted with the arbitrary suppression of an independent State by force and with the violation of tlie elementary rules of national conduct. Britain and I rance are in anv case comrades in tlie great cause to make fair dealing prevail between the nations and to promote freedom. charity and fraternity lietween individuals."