New-York tribune., 1920-08-30
Deschanel Still
A Melancholic:
Death Feared
Reports That the President
May Not Live a Month
Startle Paris; Mind Is
Obsessed by Delusions
Guarded Against Suicide
Political Status To Be De-
cided Before National
Fete Is Celebrated Nov. III
By Ralph Courtney
Special Gable to The Tribune


Copyright, 1920, New York Tribune Inc.
PARIS, Aug 20.-Between now and
November II the fate of Paul Descha-
mel, President Of the French Republic
will be decided. Even if the Presi-
dents life should be spared until that
date there is now little prospect that he
will continue as the head of the re-
public.
Alarmist reports are in circulation
that the Presidents end may come
within a month. M. Deschancl can see
visitors in his sickroom for half an
hour, but not longer. At the end of
this period he relapses into his state
OF melancholia. He complains that he
is being spied upon, that he has been
watched by policemen and surrounded
by angry dogs.
The President tells his visitors the
locks of his doors have been changed
or that the wrong keys have been given
him to prevent him going out
Talks of Self Destruction
Some of these precautions have in
fact been taken. When M. Deschanel
is seized with one of his attacks it is
impossible to tell what he may do He
is often possessed with the idea that
he must end his life and there is great
fear that any day he may eludc the
watchers who have been set over him
and succeed in carrying out his threat
of suicide.
According to the French constitution
the President must preside at the ra-
tlonal fete which is to be held Mo-
vember II. This celebration, which
was to have taken place September d.
was postponed two months only be-
cause OF M. DISCLAIMERS illness and the
impossibility of changing Presidents in
the present critical international pe-
riod
M. Deschancl declares to those about
him that he is we'll enough to preside
at this fiftieth anniversary celebration
of the founding of the republic and
that he had nothing to do with the
postponement of the fete
At times the President appears to
be fairly normal. 1t is said on good
authority that the has not lost his
memory. He is liable, however, ct any
moment to be seized with fit of vio-
lcEt anger CT 20 lapse into a state of
melancholia. He will Sometimes show
fear of open places or of crowds, or be
obsessed with the idea that he is be-
ing imprisoned. At such times he COM
plains of these things in strange and
confidential manner to whomever is
with him.
M. Deschanel's friends recall that
his defect has always been inability to
make up his mind to any action. AS
time went on this hesitation and lack
of will power increased, his friends
say. He lived in fear Of not being able
to do the best possible and in terror
of the consequences of his own acts OF
words.
Importance Of Acts Magnified
The fear of not doing enough, or of
not performing his duties we'll, grad
ually paralyzcd M. Deschanevs remark
able qualities, it is said. Since his
election TO the Presidency he has
shown an excess of scrhple. On the
occasion of a simple dinner to men,
bers Of the Paris press he is said to
have prepared his speech six weeks in
advance and to have talked of it as if
it were an event of national impor-
tance.
At one of the crises of the war Pres
ident Poincarc sent for NJ. Deschanel
and represented to him that in the
grave circumstances through which
France was passing it was his duty to
assume the Premiership. M. Deschanel
shrank from this task. He obstnately
refused even to consider such pro-
posal, despite the most hattering in
sistence on the part of the President
In view of what has happened since
many persons have suggested that per-
haps it is we'll that M. Deschanel had
the modesty to say that he could not
fill the place offered to him.
The next day after M. Deschanel's
visit to President Poincare's office
Louis Barthou demonstrated with him
about his refusal to accept the Pre-
miership. In reply M. Deschanel said:
ut is useless to insist. l know my
limits"