Canvass

P: The small, swart, darting-eyed Auvergnat was happy last week as his special train thundered across five states toward President Herbert Hoover, who is six tones paler.

"When our French papers print the news of my reception in New York!" crowed Premier Pierre Laval, pacing up and down his private car, taking quick puffs of his U. S. cigaret, "that will strengthen the friendship between our two countries--mais oui!"

P: Paris knows Jimmy Walker, who rode grinning in the middle (see cut). The third backseat rider, Chairman Albert Henry Wiggin of Manhattan's Chase National Bank, has nobody knows how many foreign commitments. Appropriately Mayor Jimmy made Banker Al the City's official greeter. Striking the note of a hen on anxious eggs at the City Hall, Mr. Wiggin greeted:

"It is the duty of those of us here and of the people of the United States as a whole . . . to do nothing and to say nothing that will put impediments in the way of the successful carrying out of [M. Laval's] great mission. . . .

"It is our duty . . . to do nothing and to say nothing which will force his hand or our own President's hand. . . .

"It is our duty to leave them at peace, to make smooth their path, to let them work things out. . . ."

P: Mayor to Premier: "We are not cold, particularly Sir, we are not cold to you."

P: "Mayor Walker, you are at the head of the largest city in the world! . . . I am struck with admiration at the force of your great nation and the disciplined freedom of its inhabitants."

The rest of Premier Laval's City Hall speech was his U. S. keynote, his promise to listening Frenchmen that he would try to get what they want: "Our only desire is peace. But we set great store by our Security. . . ."

P: Lunch en route to Washington Pere Laval ate in his private car, permitted Daughter Jose to table d'hote in the public diner (see p. 17).

P: Keeping the air blue with a fresh U. S. cigaret every ten minutes, Premier Laval was asked,. "In France do you smoke the Regie?" (Government monopoly cigarets, bad).

"As President of the Council of Ministers," he replied, raising an ebon eyebrow and flicking the ash from his latest U. S. cigaret, "as President of the Council it is necessary for me to smoke the Regie. I smoke a lot."

Counting, the United Press claimed that M. Laval smoked 80 U. S. cigarets a day, mostly Old Golds, smokes 40 Regie Marylands a day in France

P: Shrill sirens, pop-popping police outriders zipped the Lavals through capital traffic to a four-story brick house near Dupont Circle, the pretentious mansion of U. S. Ambassador to France Walter Evans Edge, friend.

P: At the White House, where Premier & daughter made their initial call at once. Host Hoover in the Blue Room was so eager to plunge into business with Guest Laval that an aide had to wrinkle his brow and beckon to the President. Thus reminded of Mrs. Hoover's existence in the Red Room, the President led the Lavals thither, presented them.

P: Eighty-five men, no women, were White House banquet guests that night. In the State Dining Room, President Hoover was the big centre nail of the horseshoe table. On his right Premier Laval, left Ambassador Paul Claudel of France, nearby Marshal Petain. A large assortment of bigwig publisher-editors included Arthur Brisbane, who wrote in his next Today: "Who sees only 'peasant ancestry' in the face of Laval would see only a peasant woman in the Mona Lisa face. . . . Don't play poker with him. . . . The President looked weary."

P: A wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A quiet glance at the Indian wikiup in Vice President Curtis' office. More formal calls, and Premier Laval moved into the White House for 18 hours of residence and sweating work. On the third day Guest Laval moved to stop overnight at Woodley, sylvan retreat of Secretary of State Henry Lewis Stimson. There the work, ceaseless and secret, went on.

P: Neither statesman would confess to having a "plan" to champion. Neither could afford to embarrass the other by seeming to "win." Neither must "lose." It was all most difficult. President and Premier worked at what they called "exchanging views." Their views on Security, they found, were totally opposed (President Hoover being unwilling and unable to get a U. S. Congress to vote guarantees of French Security), but they did not ''disagree." They exchanged other views. After immense constructive effort President Hoover and Premier Laval told what they had done in a joint communique to the World Press. They had ''recognized." They had become "convinced." And they had "canvassed." They had not signed anything.

Recognition. "We recognize," declared the key sentence of the Hoover-Laval communique, "that prior to the expiration of the Hoover Year of (Reparation & War Debt) Postponement some agreement regarding them may be necessary covering the period of business depression." But, and it was here that the Premier won a touch: "The initiative in this matter should be taken at an early date by the European powers principally concerned"--i. e. President Hoover promises not to "force" Premier Laval a second time, as he did when he demanded that France sign his One Year Moratorium (TIME, June 29).

Conviction. "We are convinced," agreed Messrs. Hoover and Laval, "of the importance of monetary stability . . . in which the maintenance of the gold standard in France and the United States will serve as a major influence."

Canvassing. "We canvassed," said President and Premier, "the economic situation in the world, the trends in international relations bearing upon it; the problems of the forthcoming conference for Limitation and Reduction of Armaments; the effect of the Depression on payments under intergovernmental debts; the stabilization of international exchanges and other financial and economic subjects."

P: Badgered at eight press conferences in four days, hardy M. Laval kept smiling, kept parrying, spoke the first English words of his trip with a broad, proud grin when he said carefully, successfully "I . . . have . . . finished."

P: Whisked back to Manhattan, Frenchman Laval was engulfed by French compatriots. Before he could sail on the S. S. Ile de France, the French Chamber of Commerce staged a banquet, roared "Vive Laval! Vive la France!" in thunderous approval of the Premier's parting words:

"Now we know who we are, we know what we wish, we know what we can expect, and what can be expected of us. . . .

"We have done more. In finding the principal means for restoring economic stability and confidence, we have accomplished our duty towards international solidarity.

"You understand why I do not comment at greater length. . . . I wish to render an accounting first to the Government of my country. But I do desire to express to you . . . my complete satisfaction. . . .

"It is particularly agreeable to me to pronounce these words in New York in the presence of Marshal Petain, the most illustrious of our soldiers. France is resolutely attached to peace, which can only be founded upon organization and security. . . .

"To Mr. Castle [Undersecretary of State] whom I am happy to salute before leaving America, I wish to say how much I have been touched by the evidences of sympathy which he has lavished upon me.

"I ask him once more to present my respects to Mr. Stimson and I beg Mr. Castle to accept, in the name of the Chief of the United States, President Hoover, who so charmingly received me, my homage and gratitude and to assure him of my lasting remembrance."

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