New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-12
Pannleve

'"NSiS NiSal III Ine present l. ieiNh PO''''N"
crisis. The man of the hour is Paul Pain
! leve, and the emergence of Painleve is a
guarantee that France is to go on with
the war. No man in French public life is
more firmly decided on the question of
continuing the war than Painev6.
War, which destroys and makes repu-
tations. has played no more amazing trick
/ than that which has raised former pro-
fessor of mathematics to the position of
/ the strong man in the French Republic. 1t
is rot so many years ago that Paul Pain
| leve was known as great mathematician.
Paris said that he and Lucien Poincaire
brother of the President, live-mathemat-
ically speaking-on a higher plane, and
when Poincair6 died no one was left to
talk mathematics with Painleve, so he went
into politics.
Two years ago Painleve was Minister of
Inventions in a BRAND cabinet. He, with
Jules Guesde and BRAND, had compelled
the French General Staff to defend Paris
in September, 1914, when the government
fled to Bordeaux. Before it left it had as
sented to the proposed evacuation of Paris
by the General Staff. Psinleve and GER
tain associates compelled the ministry to
revise its decision in an interview that will
some day be as memorable as those Of
BLACK Sunday in London, month before,
when Tory England compelled a Liberal
Labor Ministry to stand with France.
In the BRAND Ministry Panleve was not
happy He joined with BRAND in insist
ing that Verdun be defended, when Joffre
desired to evacuate it, but he did not trust
his chief and in due course of time broke
with him and went into the opposition. In
a sense it was Painleve who brought about
the fall of BRAND.
When BRAND fell there was no little
expectation that Painleve would succeed
him as President of the council. But there
was a feeling that, since Painleve was
unknown outside of France, some man
with an international repute should be
chosen. No one but Ribot was available,
and Ribot was very old, but the choice
finally fell upon him.
In the Ribot Cabinet Painlev6 was the
chief figure. AS Minister of War he made
PGtain commander in chief after Nivelle's
CHASTITY failure at the Aisne. To do this
Re had to overcome the opposition Of Pres
ident Poincar6, but the President was
forced to yield to the minister. Petain's
succession to Nivelle pleased the army
with which Nivelle was never unpopular,
because the army felt that Nivele had
gained his post by traffic with the poll
ticians, while Petain grimly refused to
make concessions to the Palais Bourbon.
Petain's recent victory at Verdun con-
frmed Painleve's judgment. But mean
time the Ribot Cabinet had been grave
! ly shaken by domestic scandals. The fail
[ ure of NJ. Malvy, one of the members, to
deal with German intrigue, the scandal Of
the Bonnet Rouge, the break between the
| Socialists and the ministry growing out
/ of the Stockholm question weakened Ribot.
! Albert Thomas, the successor Of Jaures
as Socialist leader and as Minister of Mu-
nitions one of the great figures of French
public life during the war, withdrew his
support.
. Accordingly Ribot has been compelled
to give way. And patiently Painleve is
/ the man to succeed him. AS Minister of
War he has restored the situation COM
promised by Nivelle in April. The French
army has recently given new proof Of its
constancy and efficiency.
/ And like Lloyd George, Painleve is both
champion of a war to victory and a
dynamic influence. He believes in organi-
cation and in action. His will be a strong
hand, firm hand. If he is Prime Min
/ lister France will have the best man
available in the post of responsibility, and
| the allies of France can dismiss all doubt
as to French determination to endure and
+ to conquer.