New-York tribune., 1921-11-13

"0o paHs3nI revealed IT, as Zola made
IL terrible IN realism. The papers re-
ported The speech, which lasted many
hours and went on from one dav to
another. France rocked with excite
ment- In the court house the jury were
moved 60 tears. The peasant was ac-
qultted, without stain on his char
acter,' and young Aristide BRAND was
embraced by his friends. Nantes was
not big enough for him. lie went to
Paris with few shirts in mis- bag. He
called on Jean Jaures, the Socialist
leader, then editing 'L'Humanite." and
sent up his card
Are you that young lawyer who de
tended the peasant at Nantes ?" asked
Jaures.
BRAND smiled and bowed.
Jaures embraced him.
What can do for you, mon
vieux 80
give me 500 francs a month and
seat in your office" said Aristide
BRAND
he became a journalist. He wrote
scathlng articles against the govern
ment. He entered politics and made
lnflammatory speeches in the country
on pehaif OF labor. The government
began to take notice of hina-beean to
De AFRAID of him. With Jean Jaurss
ne helped TO organize and strengthen
the Confederation Generate du Travail.
and worked out plan for a general
strike which would paralyze the govern
ment and deliver France into the hands
OF the syndlcates or trade unions Then
the government offered him office.
When I met Aristide BRAND before
1ne war he vas minister of France.
mated az snegade and traitor by
Jean Jaures, L5ustaye Herve and all
the leaders of labor. He had forgsd
the weapon of the general strike, and
left it in their hands. 1t was they who
drew the sword to strike him down.
The general strike was declared
ana ali France was paralyzed. Not a
train marched" as they say. Not a
wheel turned. Paris was cut off from
supplies, in danger of starvation. AT
night 1t was plunged in darkness. and
l remember the gangs of students
trooping down from the Quarter Latin
TO the boulevards on the right bank,
with lanterns and bits Of candle. sing
ing lugubrious dfrges with the eniov-
rnent of youth in any kind of drama.
I hut the government OF France, all law
and order, was threatened by general
revolution. Then BRAND showed the
courage in him. He answered the chal-
lenge of the general strike by calling
all men of several classes to the colors.
That meant ali the strikers. 1t was
penalty of death if they disobeyed
orders. Would they dars disobey ?
That was the question upon which
BRAND risked not only his life but
the life of France. History tells that
they obeyed-the strongest instinct
in the Frenchman's heart, loyalty to
the flag, immediate response to mill
tary tradition.
saw BRAND at that time face TO
face, in one of the most interesting
interviews / have had in my life. 1t
WAS in a room furnished in the style
of Louis XIV, elegant with its long
mirrors and gilded chairs, and stood
by the side of a writing table where
once Napoleon Bonaparte sat as En-
peror of the French. chatted with one
of the secretaries, and there were
others in the room. resently the
door opened, and q tall. heavy
shouldered man, with shock Of black
hair and a pale face, with somber
eyes, stpod staring 1t me.
M. Briand!" whispered the seere-
tayy, hurriedly, because I stared back,
not realizing that this was the man,
but strangely held by those dark eyes.
| He talked in a friendly way, ex-
planned the gravity OF the situation in
France, the need ofSstrong action to
restore the authority of govern
lmcnt, his faith in the loyalty Of the