The Times | December 23, 1935

M. Laval’s Victory Once again M. LAVAL has won a remarkable victory in the French Chamber, though this time by a narrower margin than in any of the other crises which have threatened his Ministry. His speech in reply to his critics on Saturday, the second day of the debate, was a great achievement, undoubtedly turning in his favour the tide of opinion which had been running heavily against him. There were several other notable speeches in the course of a very frank debate. On the whole the result should be to improve the outlook for cooperation by the two countries in the maintenance of peace by collective security. M. LAVAL’S opening speech on Friday explaining the origin of the Paris peace proposals, which he admitted were now dead, had been coldly received.

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The Times | December 16, 1935

“Wedding Ring Day” In Italy FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT ROME, DEC. 15 The final touches are now being given to the elaborate arrangements of Wedding Ring Day which has been fixed for Wednesday. The latest order of the secretary of the Fascist Party says that on this day-which is also to mark the inauguration of Pontinia, the third of the new communities created in the Pontine marshes-the whole of the country must be beflagged from sunrise to sunset. A flaming crucible is to be placed near each war monument throughout the country.

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The Times | December 20, 1935

Uneasiness In Rome FROMf OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT ROME, DEC. 19 Official Italian opinion affects to-night to see in the resignation of Sir Samuel Hoare nothing beyond a personal affair. Sir Samuel, one of the customary spokes- men suggests, resigned because he was made the target of sharp criticism, and perhaps because he wanted to faciJitate the work of his Government. Yet his recent statements on the Abyssinian problem are not regarded as cancelled. He was then speaking as a member of the British Cabinet, and as that Cabinet is still in power the Anglo-French proposals, according to the Italian view, must still hold good.

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The Times | December 19, 1934

A scene in Holborn yesterday. RECLAMATION OF THE PONTINE MARSHES.-These pictures indicate in a striking manner the work that is being done in the reclamation of the Pontine Marshes, south of Rome. Above is shown-a-stretch of-.the marshes from which will rise the town of. Pontinia, the first foundation-stone of which will be laid by Signor Mussolini to-day. Below is part of the town of Littoria, .which, with the surrounding country,,was yesterday.inaugurated by-Signor Mussolini as a-new Italian province.

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The Times | August 20, 1936

Duce’s Help With Threshing FROM OUR OWVN CORRESPONDENT ROME, AUG. 19 Continuing a now well-established custom, Signor Mussolini to-dav paid his annual visit to the cornfields of the former Pontine Marshes to lend a hand in thresh- ing the grain. Early in the morning the Duce, himself piloting the aeroplane, flew from Forli to Littoria and thence drove to the township of Pontinia. Here, throw- ing off his coat, he mounted a threshing- machine and laboured for an hour under a hot sun feeding into the machine the wheat which was part of that he himself had sown in the district last December.

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