The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-05-22
MONlS, BERTEAUX AND TRAIN
VICTIMS or PARIS AIR DISAS-
TER AND LCCkLESS PILOT.


Isroker and Amateur Of the Art Of
President Fallieres. looking for new
Premier last February. found a man who
would consent to take the office In An
toine Monis. a radical Republican Sena-
tor from the Gironde. Monis was a
lawyer. the owner Of important vineyards
and man whose influence had been felt
in politics for almost thirty years Monis
is big man physically. with phlesmatic
good humor and an inability to make up
his mind with any particular rapidity.
He came from the Gironde. though he
was born at Chateauneuf sur Charente
tCharente) in ls48. He practised law in
the Bordeaux courts. becoming pleader
OF the Court Of Appeals in 1870 In issS
he went 10 the Chamber OF Deputies from
the Gironde. In 1891 he was elected
Senator. In 1895 he played a prominent
part in the overthrow OF the Bour geois
Ministry. He was Minister Of Justice In
the Waldeck -Rousseau Cabinet from June.
1899, 10 June, 1902 He was Vice-P President
OF the Senate in 1905
Among his early exploits was the or
ganization Of a strike Of the vtticulturists
In the Gironde district against the de-
limitation OF the Bordelais wine region.
By March 4? OF this year Monis had his
Cabinet completed. Delcassa. his Minis
ter of Naval Affairs. was probably the
most popular and certainly the most dis
tinguished member Of it, As a whole IL
is mere makeshift Ministry. Only the
radical Socialists did any shouting over
IT, Monis. although no had assisted
AT the overthrow of the Combes party.
now found himself as Premier practically
chief Of Combeist administration. He
realized that he had a problem on his
hands right at the start OF his ministry.
He had with him the Republican majority
and the Socialists but he had to 60 slowly
with any new schemes. He read his pro-
gramme to the Deputies on March 9 amid
a silence that the cable dispatches called
icy" But the programme was more
conservative than most people anticipated
and the Chamber gave him q big vote of
confidence.
Right at the beginning OF his ministry
Monis found trouble. Bernstein's play
-Apras Moi was being raided every
night by politicians who called them
longed to the royalist faction. The
aGair threatened to become a political
issue. At one time II was reported that
the Premier had ordered the theatre
closed. but the playwright himself with
drew the play and was congratulated
by the Premier for his public spirit.
Then the newspapers OF Paris COM
menced TO show themselves hostile 70
the Cabinet. and on top OF it all came the
troublesome tidngs from the wine dis
tricts where the good folk Of Marne were
burning down the factories End wreck
ing the cellars Of winners whom they
suspected Of doctoring foreign wines
and selling them as cha mpagne. The
red flag was being flown for the first time
in a good many years. but the Chamber
Of Deputies put the matter up to the
Council of State. and Monis. who could
not make up his mind about the thing
ono way or the other. finally decided that
the strong hand Of the Government must
come down on the angry peasants. Tho
riots both in the Aube, the rival cham
pa gne region. and in the Marne were
suppressed. and. two or three days ago.
Senate committee proposed scheme
the Aube wine champagne" and that
OF the Marne -grands champagne"
In tho last month the situation in
Morocco and Germany's vsxatious
threats OF interference with tho plans
10 relieve the Sultan Mulai Hatid. he-
s.eged IN tez, have presented much
morn serious problem to Monis and his
Cabinet All the indications have been
that they lacked tho brains. courage and
resolution To deal with il effectively
Monis has been decorated with tho
Russian order of the White Eagle.
h..r
( lionaire and a socialist. militant stock
broker and clever man OF AFFAIRS gen
orally. He was looked upon 10y thos.
who followed the intrcacleS of French
! politics as one of the few strong men in
the Cabinet OF Premier Monis. Delcass.
AT the head of naval afairs and Cruppi
being the others. In this Cabinet he
! held the portfolio of Minister of War
for the second time.
( In the days following the fall of Ar,--
! tide BRAND when Monis was riding
| furiolisly around Paris in his automobile
! in search of men rash enough 10 enter
| his Cabinet. BertealX was the man that
! he thought Of as a satisfactory Minister
OF War. He had plenty oi money. some
: experience with the duties al the War
ONCE and extremely democratic views
! OF government He was chairman. be-
sides. OF the Military Commission of the
/ Chamber. Ber'eauX was appointed on
March OF this year.
he was born at St Mair- les POSSES
/ ,Seine, on June 3. 1852 ny profession
BerteauS was an Agent de Charge" or
stock broker. operating on the Paris
Bourse He made a fortune early and
became known as highly success sful
broker lie became Mare Of Chatoll
and they gave him the Legion OF Honor
Then. with full pocketbook and very
radical socialist ideas he came in is83
to sit in the Chamber OF Deputies as a
representative OF Versailles. He took
his seat as a Radical-Socialist.
Berteaux always had an interest in
military affairs and in 1902 he headed the
committee OF the Chamber OF Deputies
that presented the war budget. On No.
yember Is. 1904, in the Combes Ministry,
when Gen. Andre resigned his portfolio
amid considerable uproar in the Chamber
of Deputies. which had been attacking
his administration fercely. the office OF
Minister of War went 10 Berteaux. essAen;
Tho appointment was received with no
special enthusiasm among tho peopls Al
large. They wanted to SEQ fighter by
occupation rather than preference AZ tho
head Of their army. Furthermore. one of
their traditions was that q military man
should be Minister OF War. and this was
broken by Eertoaux's appointment The
French still have much regard for ira
dition,
Ministries and Ministers in France
don't last long nowadays. Berteaux kept
his Job year. At the end of that time
he too relnluishod his portfolio amid al