Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-15
THE NEW PERSONALITY OF VIVIANI
French Premier Man of Incredible Eoquence Has Received
Vote of Confidence Not Only in the War Policy of His
Government but in Himself Also
By ROBERT HILDRETH

suggests the Lutte or the harp. Then there's
the manner. 1t is the charm Of perfect cour-
tesy. And then, both first and last, the per-
sonality of Rene Viviani.
Viviani is a genius who arrived late I'm
til he was 45 or so, his personality was, so
to speak, scattered. All at once it became
integrated all at once the mans character
took on a new maturity and solidity. His
fellow-countrymen noted the change but
could hardly believe it. The difference has
been convincingly plain only during the IA
months Of the great world war. 1t is not
only the Government" in which France
has voted confidence, but the man, Viviani,
of whom the country knew not year ago,
what to expect. Truly this remarkable man
found himself late, and came late to his own.
Born in the north of Africa, he is So years
old. His physique is of the heavy type
large shoulders, expansive waistline, full
hips. He has protuberant nose and his
skin is swarthy. Grizzled hair crowns the
face. Instead Of laundering indignation he
flashes it with his eyes across the largest
hall There is something, apparently, of
the spaniard in his grand department.
"a Practical Socialist
He early took to the law and speedily be-
came one of the leaders of the Paris bar.
He entered Parliament at the age of 21. In
his twenties he was a thorough Socialist
and was easily one of the stars of the party.
Long before the public had heard of BRAND,
1t knew Viviani. When in 1904 the United
Socialist party was formed, it's members
bound by international agreement not to ac-
cept office in bourgeois" governments, VII
viani stayed outside. Jean Jaures accused
hfrn of fNYry
Lucifer himself But it meant political sue
cess. Chief Of all the charges preferred
against Viviani by his enemies was that he
was ready to sacrifice anything to his lust
for power, his craving for fame and for the
applause of the mutitudes He defined his
socialism In terms that brought down on
his head the bitterest epithets on which
Jaures could lay his hands. As an "Inde-
pendent Socialist" he was received into the
Ciemenceau Cabinet, to be the first Minister
OF LABOR. He worked hard to place on the
STATUTE books some of the more feasible
promises or the socialistic program, and Sc
cured the passage of an act which gives ~
100000 men and women the right In a nan-
sion at the age of 65. This event nar,.ad
the advent into French law of the mir
ciples of State socialism His political tao
Is still "The Workingman's Friend"
NlVlani has catholic tastes He knows the
work OF all the modern French painters.
poets ana actors. His judgment of IL goes
far TO form contemporary opinion. MANY on
arist ana many writer owe their nubI,c
recognition to the praise Of Rene vivian,
sponeh generously when all the professional
critics were silent or unfavorable NF,,oh 49,
oeen SAID of course about his anti-clar,caI9
ISM because that is part Of his politics snd
about his "irrelgion." but on this no,nt ha
replies that before the true Christian he
STANDS respectful and uncovered