The Washington herald., 1908-01-05
MOCKS AT PATRIOTS
GuStave HerVe Has No Love
for French Tri-COlOr.
NOW UNDER JAIL SENTENCE
Socialist Enthusiast is Described
by an Intimate Friend-First Ar
exposure to Save an Associate.
Branded as CharIatan.

The psychology of the political agitatO
and demagogue is always puzzlIng. WheI
the man is, by his origin and his inter
ests, member of the class that he set
out to lead, no special explanation is nee
essary. The normal motive OF most hu
man actions is sufficient to account fol
the case But when the demagOgut
sacrifices his own material welfare t.
become the spokesman of a classic which
he does not belong; when he spoils an
otherwise successful career by enlistine
in the social reform crusade. and gives
up an assured life of ease and dignity
TO court the risks, privations, and perse-
cutions of the rev0lutionist then we must
look lnto the matter with little care
and make an effort at fairness and per
haps sympathy.
I happen to know Gustave Herve, the
now famous apostle of French anti-pa-
triotism, the enfant terrible Of the So
cialist party. who. through his violent
doctrines and persistent propaganda. has
disrupted the ranks OF the orthodox So
cialists and thrown an apple Of discorC
in all their conventions.
DisOwned by Leaders.
DisoWned by their most representative
leaders, ali over Europe, attacked by
Jules Guesde, branded 'charlatan' by
Vollmar, almost booted at the last Stutt.
CART convention, several times arrested
and sentenced to jail (the last sentence
on Christmas Eve, was one years i'm
pTisonment and a fine of $3.50 for defam-
ing the army and navy and inciting
troops TO mutiny by his writings). never.
theless he continues his campaign, In
spite OF his friends and in spite of his
enemies, regardless of unpopularlty
prison, and poverty.
Not merely do I know HeTve, bat
like him. He has been my schoolmate
and remains one of my most valued
friends. While not sharing his ideas
and his hopes, while disappearing OF
some of his methods and many Of hi:
statements, l admire and respect bOtl
him and his sincerity. I read regularly
most of his speeches, articles. and books
! have used with American students his
History Of France, written from an anti
militarist and sOcialistic standpoint
which Is boycotted in French schools
While refusing to stand sponsor for hi;
doctrines, I would Ike to vouch before
the American reader for his generous
and noble personality.
Youth of Ready wit.
When ] knew Herve we both were
pupils of the same Paris secondary
school, the old lycee Henri ", which
still stands behind the Pantheon. VT
were seated side by side on the same
bench for year writing Latin themes
Greek eompensations. reading the class
les, memoriZing Horace and Virgil
Homer and Demosthenes, under the di-
rection of an old scholar. who had spent
the best of his life translating Aristo-
phapes. In that class called ''Rhetorique
sUperieUre," we were both supposed tC
prepare for the Ecole Normale superieure
the seminary which forms the professors
of French universities and colleges. OF
Alsatlan parentage, l had been educated
in colleges Of the southeast and the east
Of France. Herve, Breton, came
straight from BTest, the great seaport
OF the western coast. The acquaintance
struck up in the long. weary twO-houl
recitation periods Of the lycee soon rip
ened into friendship. While lessons were
being recited, themes corrected, lectures
delivered, we had many lively chats
He was genial companion, always
cheerful and sunny, with a warm anC
ehivalrous heart, coupled with a ready
wit and keen sense of humor.
Although about nineteen then Gt was
in 1880, Herve had not yet any political
ideas that were likely to shake the foun-
dations of society. a bOarder or. as il is
called In French. an inferno, he had tc
rely on me, a day pupil, for his poll
ties, and / would bring to him to read
only sound, conservative papers, such
as LEstafette, then the organ of the
famous statesman, Jules Ferry.
Not StrILingIy Brilliant.
Herve was not by any means the most
brilliant member of that class. many OF
which are now distinguished men of let.
ters He was fair student, with clear
mind and quick intelligence; he made
his mark only in French composition
he wrote we'll, with warmth. clearness
and ease. In these high classes of The
Partisan lycees which are composed OF
the pick of provincial secondary schools
II took an exceptional student to shine
above the others An excellent student
in Brest, in fact having obtained a state
scholarship. HeTve was only a good aver
age In Paris.
At the end of the year, having failed
at the competitive examination, Herve re-
turned 20 his province and our ways
parted. He could not afford to keep Ut
this unproductive student life for the
sake of belonging TO the glorious Ecole
Normale superieure." His mother was
a widow, living on a small pension left
by her husband. who had been a non
commissioned officer of the navy. Herve
was the Oldest son. He had to earn a
hVlng for himself and his family.
Hard work of the Proctor.
The only living for a poor aspiring
teacher was then, as it is now, the posi-
ton Of usher or proctor in a lycee. Al
phonse Daudet. who himself was once
proctor in small college of the South.
mas told IN his pathetic novel. LIE Petit
Chose the trials of the pion. the nm
der-paid and shabby life of these men
who have TO live, eat, and sIeep with
the pupils, always on the ami viya
obliged continually to inspect. spv renri-
mand, and punish, exposed to the hostiI-
fly or ridicule of their wards aitber
hated or hazed, discontentine or discon-
tented
Steer the Real Boss.
The real boss of F. II. SuIlivan's com