The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-23
FRANCES ENVOY
(Jean Jules Jusscrand)


soil more than a decade ago to be-
come the official representative in this
country of the Republic of France.
few persons realized that the love and
admiration each nation bore for the
other would be crystalized in the man.
ner u is today. But now that the
two nations are as one, 1t is only just
ia pay credit 10 the kindly and mild
hammered Frenchman, who made
much of this mutual admiration and
regard possible. and who has proven
himself worthy successor of Lafay-
cite and Rochamheau.
NJ. Jusserand as he is known to
thousands of Americans, is the dean
OF the diplomatic corps at the capt.
tai. He came here in 1903 and has
been here eyer since. save for short
leaves 10 France. And in all of his
fifteen years as ambassador ne has
lahored long, hard and faithfully
with one idea in view. ii was this.
That the more the American people
knew OF France. the better they
would love her. and the more the
I, French people knew OF America the
better they would love her. 1t is
wonderful realization OF this cher
ished hope that is given him daily
In the stirring news that comes from
overseas.
III tsAl y ~ tp{IlSs NJ. y uSSeFanQ VIII
be remembered not only as a diplo-
mat, but as a scholar. His whole
life is delightful record of accomp-
lishments in literature--in6 ed, n
card index in The congressional library
lists more than twenty books on his
tory, literature, poetry and romance
that have come from his pen. But
history will also accord him place
for other accomplishments. accomp-
h faV1 Sa-
world had been one of peace and
study. but who rose to grim duties
when his native land was in danger
Changed by the War.
-Four years of war have changed
Ambassador Jusserand. His black
hair is today fiecked with gray. and
little tell-tale wrinkles are evidences
Eof the great cares and troubles with
which he nas f1au 70 ronterri-ssirrr-,~--
now though, his eyes refute the
thought that the war has wearied
him. for they flash forth with the vigor
and enthusiasm of a man still in his
twenties, and incidentally flash the
spirit that is frances
M. Jusserand is really a child OF
the foreign office, as early in life he
determined to become a. diplomat He
was born in Lyons~-the second city
of F,rance--on February 1S,1855, and
! At twenty-one we find his boyhood
ambition gratified, and we also find
! that he had published his first book
/ a work of research on the English
stage from the conquest to the time
I of Shak espeare. There is a story told
/ that young Jusserand, to gain admit
lance TO the foreign office. found it
necessary to master two languages
/ He took up English and Italian--the
{ latter because IT
story goes. Al twcnty-six he was
given an important mission to one of
! the French territories in Africa. and
! he performed it with such eatisfac-
] ton that he was made chief of the
department of Tunisian affairs and
F.! decorated with Legion d'Honneur
In 1887 he was appointed councillor
OF the French embassy at the court
of St James. and from 1898 to 1909
he was French minister to Denmark
A year later he took up his present
post in the United States
lnjects Humor in Literary Battle.
Ambassador Jusserand is kind and
gentle in demeanor; in fact. he is the
antithesis of anything martial so it is
3! perhaps interesting to know that for
four years he waged, single handed
aud alone, one of the greatest literary
battles in this country. His oppo-
tnent was Professor j. w Manly; of
the University of Chicago, and the
| strife had 10 do about the authorship
! of Piers PIowman." a poem of med
iaeyal England. NJ Jusserand con-
tended one man wrote the entire
poem; Professor Manly said FIVE diff
feront persons were its authors.
From 1906 to 1910 the war went on.
and its ferocty can best be judged
by one of NJ. Jusserand's many replies
! 10 the equally obstreperous professor,
who insisted on replying with fresh
proof each time. On this occasion.
! however this is what the am bassador
Wrote:
| Il ought perhaps 10 apologize for
offering today a refutation of Pro-
fessor Manly's refutation OF my refu-
tation of his refutation OF the usual
ly accepted ideas concerning Piers
/ plowman"
Some bait "a.
/ Am bassador Jusserand has also
written English Wayfaring Life in
the Middle Ages" and The English
People" and he is likewise the au-
thor OF n volume on the sports and
games OF ancient France
French and American Affection
There Is one work, though in
which the ambassador takes a spe-
cial pride. It Is entitled with Amer
leans OF Past and Present Days" and
its pages breathe that affection which
existed between Washington, Ro-
chambeau. Lafayette and other
Frenchrnen and Americans and In
which tribute is paid Abraham Lin
coin for the example he set the
! French and how he unconsciously
aided them in the establishment of
their present republican form of gov
eminent.
The reason Ambassador Jusserand
Is proud OF. this book ia because it
was written in the fearful wears of
the war--it was published in 1916.
when we were still mcfarland he
/ was performing his heavy duties with
the tact and quiet dignity what char
I aeteriza- his every action Meantime
| another man, also an am hassador,
| was inundating the newspapers and
magazines with hombastic statements
and other swashbuckling evidences
| of Kulture.
This book" confided NJ Jusserand
| to friend. lis my answer to Bern
| storfr"
There we have NJ. Jusserand. the
| diplomat in the world OF letters we
have M. Jusserand. the literateur,
and in America we have the pleasant