The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-16
NEW PRESIDENT
DELIGHTS FRANCE
M. Poincare Just Kind OF Man
People Long Have
Wanted.
NOT MERE FIGuREHEAD
He Has Let Country Know That
He IS to Be Real Leader
Of Government.
v0T MERE FIGUREHEAD
BY GEORGE DUrREsNE.

Especial Cable TO The Times Dispatch.
Paris. March 15.--Thc people are
more ana more delighted with their
new President. who is what an Amer
lean would call real hustler. and
France has been longing for a hustler
in the presidential chair ever since
the new spirit Of energy and patriot
ism invaded this country The two
former Presidents. NJ Loubet and NJ
t'allieres. were both highly respected
and dignifed men. but they were both
past the age Of active manhood, and
while nobody found any fault with
them under the old spirit of "laissez
fare" they would hive been out of
place as representa- tives of the reju-
venated and strenuous France, which
needed an executive of the Kaiser or
President Roosevelt stamp. and which
I has got just what it wanted in VI.
| Poincare.
His very first message to the SEN
ate ard Chamber struck the very tone
the country was waiting TO hear. and
all France went wild with delight at
the discovery that the new President
does not consider 1t is his duty to
remain mere flgurehead. Since the
days of MacMahon. France has not
had a President who has so boldly as
| serted tnat the ChleI executive OF the
country should be the real leader of
the government, and while professional
politicians are rather dumfounded by
suddenly finding a man at the helm of
the state who is inclined to make him
self the boss of the show for the next
seven years. no one expects them to
make any serious trouble, because they
feel that the whole people stand be-
hind the President. whose patriotism
and genius as diplomat and states
man is not doubted by any one.
President Poincare is an early riser
He breakfasts plainly on couple VI
rolls and cup of coffee at Z, and be-
in the Palais Elysees. and night after
night the lights burn in his private
office long after midnight.
He does not spend the whole day
over state documents. however, bu,
is a frequent visitor 10 the numerous
exhibitions Of ar; and science which
abound here in Paris just now. and
his social duties are not neglected The
other night he looked In at no less
than three balls. was loudly cheered
everywhere. danced few dances and
returned to the pile Of papers that had
accumulated on his desk In the mean
| time waiting for his signature
The appointment OF NJ Delcasse &c
! fill the all-important post as the am
/ ha.ssador of France nj the court O.
/ St Petersburg was generally attribut.
/ ed to NJ Poincare's personal initiative
and he was loudly praised for it.
II now appears, however, that ir
this instance al least the new Presi-
dent has been praised for an act which
| did not emanate from himself. for il
Is now stated that il was Gear Nicho-
las himself who asked that VI. Del
casse might be cent TO Russia as the
/ representative OF his royal ally.
This makes Very little difference ir
| France. however Delighted as the pro.
| pie were with NJ. Poncare when the,
thought the idea his. they are ever
more delighted TO hear that the Ca,
/ himself asked for the appointment OF
a man whose diplomatic career Ger.
many has tried everything to ruin
! for there could not possibly he ann
greater proof than this that the tie.
/ which unite Russia and Franco are
as strong as ever. and at time wher
the Kaiser is bringing Germany &c
the verge OF bankruptcy to strengthen
his army, which can only he look &c
upon as a move against France. thi:
| country needed just such a proof OF
| Russia's unchanged friendship.