Notes: The Mosque in Paris

“The newspapers gave an account of the found­ation of the Mosque in Paris under such titles as, ‘French hearts beat in unison with Islam’; ‘An everlasting covenant.’

The foundation stone was laid yesterday of the Moslem Institute and Mosque in the presence of M. Coirat, Under-Secretary of State, of Marshal Franched d’Esperay, M. Peretti de la Rocca, the Prefect of the Seine, and of the representatives of nearly all the Moslem countries.

S. E. Benghabrit, President of Habbons, made the first speech. He stated that the monument is proof to the world of the insoluble friendship between Islam and France, whose humane and wise policy he praised.

The President of the Municipal Council and the Prefect of the Seine declared that Paris would never forget the heroism of the Moslem soldiers who had helped to save her.

M. Coirat, in the name of the Government, reminded his hearers that this was a friendship of long standing. Misunderstandings between Turkey and France were only transient and could never shake the foundations of a friendship based on the nature of the French and Moslem character. France wishes to ensure to her 25,000,000 Moslem subjects the development of their economic intellectual future, but she makes it a duty to respect their traditions and their faith. He conclud­ed with these words: ‘Seeing this minaret, Paris will remember the thousands of tombs of Moslems soldiers fallen on French soil.’”