The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-10-11
RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICE

1 Vt SfFtS-
When Clemenceau was turned dow
by the people of France in favor o
Nj. Paul DeschaneI, surprise was mil
gled with admiration of the brillian
qualities Of the manor the French
! representation OF those qualities
Clemenceau had long been the lido.
of the French people. but that strang.
turn of the wheel which is so Otter.
responsible for the fall of a popular
idol placed another and younger mar
in his place. and the world, with
so many teeming interests and crown
ing events soon forgot the figure o.
the Tiger" and in the polished cour-
tier who took his place.
Now Desehanel has fallen, and some
lay his fall to eccentricity. Other
give it different meaning. But the
world. which wept with CIemenceau.
now laughs at Deschanel
The Tampa Times. in a recent issue,
carries a very interesting and illumi
mating mention of the short Officials
reign of Deschanel and the reason TO
his early fall from favor, which il
worth rescuing and study. The Times
says:
The whilom president of the French
republic has been laughed out of of
! flee. This assertion may seem over
drawn in view Of the fact that ST..
months ago, NJ. Paul Deschanel seem.
ed TO be the last man in the world t
inspire ridicule or laughter. He was
the very personification of dignity, no
that pompous dignity which invite.
ridicule but that dignity that spurn.'
the sensa tional in all its forms. an
comes from the consciousness of dut
Il i
service to France. and the people
turned down the old Tiger Clemen
ceau'' in favor of this newer, NOR.
popular. and supposedly more efficiens
favorite. He was young, energetic.
and with good record behind him!
In personality he seemed TO be ever
thing that the president of Franc
should be. Impeccable CORRECTNESS
describe him. He was thorough,
! up" in all the punctilio of the presi
Dental office, and enjoyed and appre
ciated it.
But fate seems to have pursued him
with a malignant hatred. The frs
blow came with his falling from tn
window of an express train. 1t might
have been an accident to shock the
world. and arouse a sentiment of uni
versal pity for NJ. Deschanel but fate
willed otherwise. He was not seri :
ously injured, and the spectacle OF
the president of France walking the
ties barefoot. in the middle of tho
night, IN his pa jamas, being taken 70.
a mailman when he announced his
rank and title, and finally being &C
cepted because his feet We're clean,
was one TO arouse the risibillties G.
gods and men, and all France laughed
The incident was never satisfactory
explained, nor was it the last whicr
preceded his downfall. ..
A few weeks later he stepped from
his automobile for stroll in tn
woods. He returned an hour late
drenched and bedra ggled, a pitifu
object He had fallen into a brook Z.
and again France laughed.
1t was not the last break" mad
by the unfortunate dignitary.s He de,
cided to take a before breakfast wall,
In that part of the Rambouillet cha
teau where he was recuperating. Thu
time he tumbled into the canal. III
seems to take to water like duck
and France laughed some more.
Then the cabinet decided tina.
France could not afford to have =
president who was such a persisten
contributor to the gaiety of nations.
and proceedings were set on foot t.
supercede him by man less given 10
making eccentric esca pades, and pro
voking laughter. Seriously, NJ. Des-
chanel is more to be pitied thar
blamed. His downfall is doubtless du"
to a bad case of nervous pEostTation
brought on by the crushing weight
of the responsibility placed on his
shoulders. 1t is something that ma
happen to any public man thrust into
q position of great responsibility. IL
very nearly happened to Presidens
Wilson last fall. and ended his west
ern trip. 1t is also intimated tina
Lloyd George, who is more robust
physically. and not so finely strun.
mentally. as either of the two unfor
tunate presidents, is showing signs o.
Il coming physical collapse. It is be
ginning TO be apparent that. the stres
of conducting a gEeat government j..
such troublous times as the presen,,
IS too much for any one man to beai.