The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-20
THE FRENCH PRESIDENT
 IS 54 YEARS OLD TO-DAA


 It has been alleged that the Presi- dent Of France is a mere ngure head, but Monsieur Raymond Poincare. who has held that high once for one year. seven months and three days. would doubtless disagree violently with such , statement M Poincare,s ca reer as chief executive of la repub-s liuue has been just one thing after an other or sometimes two things. Political convuisions. the A1nae. caillans trial, the attempts of his enemies to oust him from once, the plotting Of the i'm ; periaIists. the falling of cabinets, and. finally. the rising Of the black and ter ribie war cloud over Europe. has giv- en the French president a continuous experiences Of the strenuous life. Since the restoration of the republic few presidents have been so bitterly at lacked as Poincare perhaps because he was not content to be a mere fg- ure-head. but sought an active part in the anairs of state.
 The man placed at Che helm Of the ship of state in the most critical pe- Iriod of it's existence was born fifty four years ago to-day. August 20. l1seo. in the town Of Bar-Ie-Duc. fam ed for it's delicious jellies. He was educated for the law, and at twenty one entered politics at sempigny. At twenty hve he was a candidate for the general council and the incuna- bent wfthdrew from the race. on con dition that young Poincare help him with his wheat harvest. Tn 1887 he was elected a deputy. and for years he was a leader Of the Paris bar. At the age Of thirty-two he entered the government as minister of public in- struction. Later he was in turn finance minister. senator. premier. and. in 1913. president of the rsDub- Inc.
 President Poincare is the ninth chief executive since the foundation of the present republic in 1870. fol- flowing the downfall of the second era- pire as the result Of the disastrous war on Germany.
 l Personally the French President is far from handsome or magnetic. He lis only about i've feet in height. and there is little in his face to suggest power or force except his eyes. which are small and gray. but piercing and penetrating. Tn his public career he has manifested remarkable qualities Of judgnept. versatility and intellec- tuaI capacity. Tn his youth he en- ltertained journalistic ambitions. and was regular contributor to local paper in Bar-le-Due. The Paris 1 publications repeatedly refused his literary wares, however. and Poincare sought the advice of Andre Theuriet the celebrated author. He advised 1 thes youth to tear up his nanuacripts ana geL a Jop. M. folucaT6 accepted this counsel, and chose the law as 5 profession. That M. Theurfet's judg-
 ment was not tnfallibIe was proved Ia. ter when M. Poincare wrote work.
 which won for him admission to ths circumscribed circle of the Academy
 Democratic simplicity is the key ! note to M. Poincares character. whil,
 not so frugal in his tastes as his pre- decessor. M. Fallieres. the sPresiden has manifested a profound distaste fo lavish display. pomp and ceremony His friendship for the workingmel won Tor him high praise from his DO litieal enemy, the late Jean Jaures leader of the unified socialists 0
 France.
 M. Poincare has never quite forgot ten his early Journalistic anbitions 5 and few months ago he told a news ? paper correspondent that he woul
 rather be the editor of a powerful an linnuentiai newspaper than to hold tn