The Washington times., 1917-04-25
Rene Vivianid Dreamer,
ButCharged With Power
Looks More Like Provincial Farmer Visiting
the Metropolis Than Politician Or An
Economist Remarkable Career

He doesn't look like . politician, or
an economist, or anything Of the sort
this Rene vivianiS He suggests,
rather, the resident of some rural dis
trict, making his first visit to large
city, and rather awed by II all He
il short, almost stocky. with big
shoulders. His clothes At loosely. He
might easily be mistaken for one OF
Balzac's south OF France middle-aged
farmers, up for q holiday In Paris.
Has eyes are large. and sloelike,
with a strange humidity. In France
they have been described as "eyes
that look st5aight through an oppon-
ent"-but that wouldn't apply in this
country. At least, not to the casual
observer. To him they would seem
sad, pensive, dreamy.
Charged with Power.
rather bulky figure, and general easy
chair atmosphere, the man somehow
seems charged with an electric snap
and militant power.
And the last impression Is the right
one. Rene Yiviani wieids q molding
finger not only on the politics OF
France. but on its literature and its
art. He 10 reputed to be q master
both OF current topics and Of trivial
tiles. He IL q genius both in debate
and in repartee. Finally, he Is at
once calm and academic and political.
Looking at him casually, one might
N-lr
has been "westernized." His COM
plexion suggests Eastern birth. So
does his rather brfstling, rough
trimmed mustache, barely touched
with gray.
Born I'm AIgiers.
And the impression Is born OF fac,
for NJ. vivianI was born in Algiers, OF
mixed parentage.
He isn't an old man, as men of
fame go. He II now in HIS fifty-nfth
year-fourteen years younger than
Balfour. He looks about forty.
NJ. Viviani began to study law
while In his teens" In his native
Algiers.' and IN the course of time
was admitted to the Algerian bar.
He naturally gravitated to Paris,
where he took up practice with such
success that In 1889 he was elected
secretary OF the Paris Bar Assocfa-
tion. During the interim he had also
established q reputation over all
France as a student of economic ques- |
tons
Some people might call him a So |
but they would be wrong. Ac- |
cording to those who know him best |
he Is not a Socialist, but merely so
II.
worker. To put It another way, his |
main interest IL In economics. Poll
tics Is secondary. -
Yet his rise in politics was almost |
as sudden as his rise in the law. In i
1898 he was elected to the Chamber !,
Of Deputies from the Sorbonne quar-
ter OF Paris. He was a member of /
the chamber continuously until 1902.
In 1905 NJ. fClemenceau, then head
Of the French ministry, invited him
10 join his cabinet as minister OF the
hrst French Department Of Labor.
N. Viviani accepted, LASTED through
clemenceau's cqbfnet, and held over
the cabinet OF NJ. BRAND until
It's disruption, in 1910. BY that time
he had become such a power through
put France that President Poincare,
Of whom he is both q professional
head . cabinet of his own forma-
lion.
His First Failure.
He tried, and failed-his first fail
lre. That failure was due, how
ever, not to lack OF ability, but to
the peculiar condition of French
politics at that time, which necessi-
tated the concurrence by what would /
De known In this country as the Con-
yresA not only in every nomination
'f the cabinet, but in every act OF
hat body.
So NJ. Ribot took up the task, and
formed one OF the most notable cab
nets In French history-a cabinet
entirely of presidential
timber. NJ Viviani was a member
but the cabinet only lasted sixty
loursl
Then NJ. Viviani was offered the
ask again-and this time he succeed