Text of Toast Given by Prime Minister of Italy Alcide de Gasperi at Blair House Luncheon

BLAIR HOUSE Mr. President, / My heartfelt thanks for your cordial and friendly greeting, which I am sure will be in appreciated in its full value by the whole Italian people. Italy is well aware of her debt of gratitude and is proud to be with the people of the United Sta te S in this common drive for the defence of the spiritual values that are the common heritage of Western civili- zation. It is, therefore, a great pleasure for me to renew to you, Mr. President, in the name of all Italians, the feelings of the deepest thankfulness for the generous moral and matérial assistance given us. Allow me, moreover, to express the certainty that the in collaboration between our two countries will continue to devélop in the common interest in view of assuring to all free nations a future of order, of welfare, of peace. To promote this development is the purpose of my visit to this country : I have no doubt that, / with your help and with the help of your collaborators, this purpose will be accomplished. RECORDS SERVICE'^