The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-22
Gen. Jofre.
BY r.

~ URING the past three weeks
France has bee called upon
- to bear among her other bur-
dens that of a most discredit-
able political crisis. Little of 1t mas been
heard abroad. owing to h severity
Of the censors: and IL is owing to the
restrictions imposed by the latter on
the Gallo press that the French peo-
pie at large have beer kept in igno-
rance Of the conspiracy to drive Alex
andre Miiierand out Of the Cabinet,
In which he holds the Office of Min
lister Of War. and to deprive the
Generalissimo. Joseph Jofre. Of his
supreme command Of the armies of
France.
The plot-for II is difficult to ,stig-
Matte 1t by any other name-has
BEN Organized and engineered by Jo-
seph Caillaux. who in spite of all
that has passed continues to exer-
else an enormous amount OF political
influence and who is in the worst
sense OF the word the evil genius OF
France. He owes his power. which
at present is Of an occult character.
to two things: The first is his DOM
nation n real leadership of the
Radical party, with its large represen-
tation in the Chamber of Deputies.
The other is his possession OF the
knowledge Of awkward secrets in the
lives of a number of public men In
FRANCE, secrets with which he man
aged TO acquaint himself by access
10 the archives and dossiers or the
surete Generate and of the Prefecture
De Police when in office as Premier,
and Of which he has ever since been
making the most unscrupulous use
for blackmail and terrorism.
In any other country the scandal
with which Caillaux has been identi-
fed in the past years would have been
sufficient not only to drive him FOR
ever out OF public life and to relegate
him TO ignominious oblivion but even
10 land him in Jail as just as much
guilty of instigation to murder as
Charles Becker, who was ~electrocuted
the other day at Sing Sing. But In
France no one yet has been found
bold enough to give him his deserts
save perhaps gallant old Gen. Jorre
who in the early stages OF the wal
began by placing him under arrest
for infractions of discipline ard ror
characterization while In uniform as
an army paymaster and then threat
ened to court-martial him. and pos
sibly have him shot, for intrigues VIII
the enemy-h fate from which ht
was only saved by the Government
hurriedly relieving him OF his commits
sion in the army and by sending
him post-haste out OF the country
70 South America on the fallaciou'
pretext OF a secret mission.
II is perfectly true that CailiauN
since his return from Brazil MAJ
avoided the limelight. He has re
Trained from occupying his seat II
the Chamber of Deputies n MAJ
even resigned his presidency or I'M
Radical party. While the party ac
cepted his resignation, they declined
70 appoint n successor IN ms pihce
Emile Combes, the u~nfrocked pries'
n almost as sinister a figure In IN
political life OF France as his crony
joseph Caillaux. True, he has not TN
same number Of unsavory prlVat
scandals to- his record. But he
identified more than any other man
France with religious Intolerance an
religious persecution, directed nc
ONLY against the Roman Catho'ics w
also against religions OF every at
domination. For II he c~onfiscated IN
property Of the Roman Cathoi
Chur,s and Of its religious orders eN
pelli-- the latter from h countr
with a brutality and a cruelty worth
OF the Reign Of Terror. he also e'
cited the hostility Of both Protestant
1nd Jews oy seeking to prevent the
children from receiving, either I
school or at home, instruction In "
doctrines OF their respective faith
Indeed, he cndeavored by ever
\ mc.ns in his power, during his mar
y"ars of office AZ Premier, to hh'
n" youth of France brought up
ath"ism.
Combes also remains on record
having contributed more than any or
else 10 impair the military and nav
defRnces NJ Fra nee. n course OF q