Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-23
MiILerdnd Chosen
French President
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Continued from Page One
statesman and diplomat in the various
conferences between the twain that have
been held in the last nine or ten months.
And now that NJ. Millcrand has been
transferred from the premiership to the
presidency Of the republic. II is pretty
safe to assume that the astute Welsh
man who manages Rritnin's affairs
will find his work cut ont for him
if hp attempts tO ''rut anything over"
on France in future negotiations. The
new French President has keen ap
prchcnsion. and it would be strange.
indeed. if he permitted his instincts to
lead him astray, with his elevation to
the highest post in the gift of his coun-
trymcn.
A stoCky. thicksct man. with regular
swarthy features, heavy white mustachc
and thick. white hair-he is sixty one
years old-M. NEillerand is the pcr-
sonfcation of strength. As an illus
tration of his pertinacity. his indis-
position to "bpck up" it might he
mentioned that once upon time he
fought duel with Paris deputy be-
cause he would not yield disputed
point. He was wounded in tho OK.
change Of literal rapier thrusts, but
he later triumphed in tho issue over
which they fought. 1t was MiIlcrand's
refusal to back up that caused him
to resign the portfolio of minister Of
war in 1913, when a crisis arose over
the restoration Of Patty du Clam, Of
Dreyfus memory, to the army.
1t has long been said that IL Miller
4 LnI hoan for,o1 10 10
in the year named France would have
been better prepared wnen war came in
1914, for Millerand was an advocate of
pre- Daredness. He always had main
tanned that preparation for war was
the aim war minister must always
have before his eyes. 1--WE must fore
see the worst" was his watchword.
Doubtless it was this motto that COM
mcnded him to Clemenccau. when the
latter took charge of Frances dcspcr-
ate cause in the fall Of 1917.
After the armstice and the rrstora-
tion to France Of her lost provinces. ."
France. to show her attitude in the mat
ter, chose Millcrand to govern Alsacc-
Lorraine. He was known to be
hater of things Prussian, and quickly
under his direction the GormHn2cd in
dustrics Of the recOnQucrcd territory
French system.
NIlleraud Ia Parisian by birth. He
first saw the light in 1850, and nftPr his
education at the Lyc9h Vanvrcs and the
Lycee Henry " and at the University
he took up The practice Of law in 1881,
and gained distinction as an advocate.
He was counsel for the striking miners
of MontCeau les Ncu0s in 1882: was
elected to the municipal council in 1891,
and was Il radical Socialist in the
Chamber of Deputies in 1899. Four
years later he became proprietor Of the
newspaper La Noix. in which he advO-
Gated his views. In the Chamber of
Deputies he urged many reforms, cspc-
cially relating to social legislation, and
he gained prominence as editor in chief
Of the Petite RppubliQue, a post he
held until 1896, and as an impaSsionCd
orator
In 1899, as leader of the Par'ia-
montary or Opp0rtunist Socialists,
Millerand was made member of the
Waldeck Rousseau cabinet ms min
lister of commerce, much to the dlsgrun-
tlement of the NarXians who some time
later expelled him from the Socialist
party because he had taken office in n
non Socialist ministry, AZ matter OF
fact, during his incumbcncy Millcrand
did much to benefit the working classes.
In 1910 Mllerand became min
lister of commerce and postal and tele.
graph service. and in the first BRAND |
ministry he held the portfolio of pub
lie works. In 1912 President Poincnrc
made him minister of war, which post |
he surrendered under-circumStancCs al
ready mentioned, but in 1914 when the
coalition cabinet under Niviani was
formed Millcrand again WAS entrusted |
with the war portfolio, What Clem-
enccau thought Of his work has been in
dicated in the Tigers" denomination
Of the war minister as his chief prop.