Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-03
Brands Debating Ability Credited
To His Contact With French Sailors
With Other Nations

we Americans used To imagine TO he
bohemian (before bohemianism became
fad with us)-that is, he is sincerely
easy-golng, often seems tired, and,
with the amount of work he has To
do by spurts, probably is. He is not
man of the world or of society, nor
a best-dressed man. He usually con
tents himself with the same suit he
wore yesterday-long-t tailed black
frock coat which is traditional in
France.
AS to NJ. Brands haircuts, t.a+
are not the once-a-week "refresh.aes.'
Of the well groomed man, nor the
once-a- month real hair cuts of tbs
french business man. There is often.
long wait between cuts; but not
so long as might be otherwise, be
cause he never starts in as prime
minister without a hair cut. The
heavy, neglected black moustache
runs the same risks.
Yet, as the years and responsible
ties weigh down his powerful shout
ders, any one-knowing nothing
OF his career-would at glance de-
clare him TO be somebody.
!; x y
M BRAND was born at Nantes.
which is the capital of Brit
tany, and a city of sailors. There
ne made good studies at the city col
lese, from which he went up to the
Law School Of Paris
lie got through his law creditably;
ana when politics intermitted, he has
practiced law
L remember. more than 30 vear.
ago, to have read with interest his
snort, punSent editorials in the So
clai1st daily paper. the "Lanterne.''
AS an independent Socialist he has
been elected to Parliament by the
Workmen OF the manufacturing CITY
OF ST. Etlenne; and (as regards this
Socialism, he has been eight times
head of government as an Independ-
ent, long after the organized. well
disciplined Socialist party refused to
recognize him.
The truth is that he had training
which universities cannot give, and it
mace him man to sway others-fol-
low their leader At home his father
nao a cafe and Wineshop known to
sailor folk. Sailors do an amount Of
thlnklng-and more talking People
say that the young BRAND learned to
debate as no other Frenchman has
known how TO do, by disputing as a
youth with the sailormen of Nantes
and Saint Nazaire
A quality which he has all himself
he never seems to raise his voice. His
voice keeps its mellow, taking tones
through all the wearisome debates of
Parliament.
Another thing. In his easy, earnest
speeches and talks NJ. BRAND is never,
story-teller or Wit, but plods along
with plain reasons which every man
can understand. Yet his life is ripe
with bohemian humor. 1t is the pri-
vate life of NJ. BRAND. Sometimes in
his speeches there is even a touch Of
gravity and. especially Of late, a real
emotion in his voice.
AS fact, he has had to deal with
some of the gravest questions of our
modern world since he has been in
Parliament. The French Parliament
has seen no greater debater nor per
haps the world. If he falls. he will
come up again-for France will need
him.
WHATEVER happens, he has Just
| won out in the most difficult and
complicated struggle Of European di-
! plomacy since the war. French and
English men of state had tried-and
failed worse each new effort Lloyd
George or Poincare. it always turned
out a disappointment. Also the time
| was drawing on when. if the powers
could not agree on the next thing to
| bring back peace to the world, every
thing seemed likely to go to smash
| BRAND rose to the occasion. The tri-
umph of Locarno is his.
| At a dinner among friends who
wished to honor him an indiscreet
young man spoke up, saying:
You have strength as we'll as
charm
NJ. BRAND is the least vain man in
the world, as his sloppy clothes and
manner show. Also he has knocked
about enough to be embarrassed at
nothing. So he laughed and said, in
loud confidential tone, to the young
man:
You see, I've been at a good school
I shouldn't know how, if they hadn't
taught men'
The others, suspecting more than
wit. asked BRAND to explain.
Well, you know l have a farm in
Normandy" he said. ITO get the land
for it together l had to buy so small
pieces from neighboring peasants. l.
took me year to discuss and bar
gain-now talking soft, now loud-and
1 am proud to say that a man who
| has succeeded in doing successful
business with so Normandy small
farmers is capable of any negotia-
ton with the ministers of the great
powers