The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-03
HERR|OT~ LIKELY
To NT|NUE
IN RUHR
Leader of Liberals, Probable
Choice as Premier, Opposes
Any Abrupt Change

PARIS, June 3.-It has been said
of Edouard Herriot, Liberal leader,
who helped bring to defeat Ray
mond Poincare, the greatest politi-
cal power in France, that he could
make a platitude an occasion for
enthusiasm while Poincare, his foe,
could arouse the bitterest antag.
onism by his dogmatic pronounce.
ment Of an obviously new and i'm.
portant fact.
Herriot walked into Lyons.
France, many years ago in rags.
It was severe struggle for him to
gain an education, although he was
In a center Of learning and pos
sessed Of an extremely keen men,
tality. He managed, however, to
equip himself for a professionally
of rhetoric in the University Of
Lyons.
He gave up the professionally
when the city of Lyons got into
the regular habit, some eighteen
years ago, of regularly electing
him to succeed himself as mayor.
Herriot and Poincare, personally,
are far apart. Poincare was a cor
poration lawyer before he entered
politics, and his blunt legalistic
phrases still betray his allegiance
to this channel of thinking.
Herriot, on the other hand. 10
suave, smooth, persuasive-the born
diplomat.
Represents Middle Glasses.
Literally interpreted, the title Of
hA Ssk-1 81 xav1ai oh
riot belongs to is the Radicals" but
the term has different definition
in France than it has in America.
Herriot, as leader of the Radicals,
represents the calm-thinking mid
die classes-there is no suggestion
Of Communism nor of the Red In.
ternationale. His quality of mind
10 that of the tempered Imperialist.
or the Progressive Democrat. He
opposes the sway by large cor.
porate interests, but rebels at the
suggestion Of ultra-socialistic doc
trine.
Herriot believes In the League Of
Nations theory, and he fought the
occupation Of the Ruhr when Poin.
care projected it. Yet he voted for
the appropriations to carry II
through; because. as he said at the
time, II am first, Frenchman."
Those who know Herriot's politi.
cal methods best predict he will be
slow to advocate any abrupt re.
versals Of foreign or domestic
policy. He does not believe the
Ruhr should have been occupied
yet he holds the opinion that so
long as France has embarked on
the venture, consistency demands
1t be maintained for the present
at least; and that France be safe.
guarded on reparations before any
drastic new moves are undertaken.
Herriot visited the United States
In 1923. At that time he was a
French deputy from the Rhone and
the mayor Of Lyons. It was i'm.
possible to foresee that he was dcs-
tined to become the man Of the
hour in France. For that reason
his reception was largely formal
and scarcely state occasion.
There were no intimate social din.
ners and luncheons-he was enter.
tanned chiefly by Chambers Of
Commerce in New York and Chi.
cago and the other cities he visited.
But Herriot knew his cue. He
! was enthusiastic about costly
American paintings which were
shown to him by proud possessors,
| although he is known in France al
an art connoisseur of parts. It il
said OF him that he knows the
name of virtually every work in
the Louvre by heart. He waxed
eloquent over American industrial
achievements and tall buildings
although he knew all about them
before he came to visit and is an
engineer Of no mean ability.
Some Feared His Power.
There prevailed in France, when
the name Of Herriot leaped into
prominence as the successor OF
Poincare, the fear that the franc
would tumble again, under the ad.
ministration Of this socialistic
idealist. The sentiment was not
unlike that existent in England Just
PRIOR to the ascendancy Of Ramsay
Macdonald. But there were calmol
tnlnos who viewed the situation In
the light OF Herriot's past perform
ances.
When. at the height of the war
nysteria, Poincare was gliding over
the subject Of taxation, Herriot,
knowing the inherent aversion OF
the French populace to the subject,
came forward with a pay as you
go" policy.
On the strength Of that stand,
Herrlot won the confidence of the
soper'minded to a degree manifest
IN the recent French elections. A
man who could visualize the finan.
ciaI aftermath Of the war at that
sCge must be endowed with a gift
OF prophecy. they argued.
'Herriot is fifty-two years old.