Baron Maurice de Rothschild, French Senator from the Department of Haute Alps and member of an internationally renowned and powerful family, who has been in New York City since last Friday, was yesterday officially received by Mayor LaGuardia at City Hall.
In a ceremony of the fanfare that marked similar occasions in the Walker-Whalen days, but just as rich in flow of complimentary language, the Mayor bestowed upon the Baron the freedom of the city.
The tall, distinguished visitor from France, who came to New York after paying his respects to official Washington, was accompanied by the French Consul General Ch. de Ferry de Fontnouvelle, Congressman Samuel Dickstein and attaches of the French consulate. The party was received in the Mayor’s office, where greetings were extended both by the Mayor and Aldermanic President Bernard S, Deutsch.
MAYOR EXPRESSES DELIGHT
In the key-bestowal ceremonies, which were held in the main reception room, the Mayor expressed his deep pleasure at the privilege of welcoming “so distinguished a son of France.”
“I hope that the city,” the Mayor said, “may some day have the opportunity of making you one of its own.”
The Baron in expressing his gratitude for the “honors bestowed upon me,” paid high tribute to both President Roosevelt and the Mayor himself. He declared that Roosevelt was “perhaps the greatest President since Washington and Lincoln.” In praising the Mayor, the Baron revealed himself cognizant of the city’s financial dilemma, by complimenting him upon “the wonderful results accomplished by your administration in restoring the financial credit of the city.”
After the ceremonies, the party posed for photographers. The Baron refused the request of reporters to amplify his remarks made in Washington recently on the brutality of the Nazi regime and its early doom. He promised a formal interview for ten-thirty o’clock this morning at his apartment in the Waldorf-Astoria.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
