Evening star., 1928-03-11

Or consult the editor Of LIE Matin
and ask him as to the fabled accuracy
OF this uncannily accumulative Poin-
carian mind. He will give you many
corroborations. None perhaps more IN
teresting than this incident, which hap
pened when Poincare was premier sev-
eral years ago:
The premier was TO deliver an i'm
portant speech in the provinces. Le
Matin was anxious to publish IL. Poin-
cares chef de cabinet sent an advance
copy to lie Matin By cyciist al rea-
sonable hour. Deadline approached.
No word Of any kind at the newspaper
office.
Fearful that the manuscript had son.
home. informed him Of the nishap.
Wait, will give you another" said
the premier
Perfect Tally.
He seized some paper. sat down and
wrote steadily, fiercely for 25 minutes.
Then the editor hurried back to his Of
flce-to find that the cyclist had de-
livered the speech in the meantime.
Curious to see how they might COM
pare. the editor examined the tyo
copies. They were identical Even the
linedout sections and corrections Of the
first Tailed with the same portions of
the second
So run the stories of the mar eto
never forgets: even to the occasion, lust
before he assumed the presidency of
the French Republic, when Poincaye
made seven different speeches in on.
day. Newspaper men had advance
copies Of these speeches-and all seven,
/ when delivered. conformed entirely with
the texts they had in their hands.
~ he
/ illustrations Of Poincare's dictaphoric
mental processes occurred in January.
1923. during his conference with Bonsr
Law preceding the French occupation
OF the Ruhr. At 2:30 o'clock the pre-
mier consulted his experts. who read
him their opinion of Bonar Laws
! scheme. After 20 minutes they de-
parted and NJ. Poincare. seating himself.
swiftly penned answers to several i'm
portant letters.
But sharply at o'clock he was In the
conference room. When his opportun-
ity came TO speak, NJ. Poincare delivered
a pungent address. It contained viz
tually the whole OF the experts pro-
/ tracted report in the exact figures and
phraseologv Of the document. Some
Of the premiers own assistants, who
heard him and knew he had been ac-
quainted with these highly technical
facts only half an hour previous were
astonished.
These incidents are all traceabie 70
the fact that whatever he hears. reads
or writes establishes itself verbatim fn
Poincare's mind He writes with dag
zlirg rapidity. His pen flies from line
TO line, even at that nervous speed keep
ing pace with difficulty with hts
thoughts.
Cauuot MAKE Char~e~
His memory is as nearly infallible. II
seems, as the human brain can De-
Still. even the greatest OF reeentive
minds can be Jared from its sccus-
toned mechanism some time Or other.
The very fact that his memory Is 50
{ precise. so Interchangeable. down to minor
adjectiyes and articles. presents the one
known flaw in Poincare's mental en-
/ cyclopedia. He cannot change q SEN
tence or ever a few words IN q prepared
address. If obliged 70 do so ne courts
confusion and disaster.
Once in 1918 II. Poincare vas invited
/ 10 Madrid 10 speak in the Retro gar
den. A large crowd was expected. but
as revolutionary attempt WAS feared
the whole park vas cleared. leaving
/ the French statesman 10 address empty
benches. He stood there in confusion.
like schoolooy orator confounded hy
his commencement au6ienc-but IN
this case lack Of audience. For he had
prepared 10 begin Il thank YOU NJ p
Marie. for this opportunity 70 speak
10 the masses OF AIadrid's population"
There were no masses, Poincare hes
itated. tried 10 find some other means
Of expressing his gratitude. Then.
recognizing that 20 attempt any change
meant disaster. the French President
went ahead and spoke TO the masses
actually. masses OF empty seats.
How. one asks, did any man come To
have such an astonishing memory In
search OF an explanation went re-
Gently 10 that section Of the Old Louvre
Palace which houses the ministry cf
finances TO keep an appointment, With
Frances premier and finance minister.
4 ruddy-faced. gray-whiSkered mar.
rather short in stature and with two
OF the sharpest gray eyes In the world.
uShered me 70 Louis XV chair beside
his desk.
II am writing an article. monsieur.
concerning the man who never tcrSe:S'
Perhaps YOU know this MAN."
I looked pointedly ~ him. but the
keen gray eyes met n,ins with al thS
simple unadorued honesty ot Ior-
raine peasant.
"Nc.< said RAYMOND rcincare. -
have never heard ot him. There s 10
such man"
Perhaps not In the absolutely literal
sense. But l am sure there N man
who-to al practical pGrpNSsS-rever
forSe'S, Ncu are the man. Monsieur
le President"
Credits Hard Work.
The premier Of France smiled 10
that smile there Was a certain emosy-
vaSsneu,, certain dsSaNoSal. 81,
there was III 1, nothing y. the lack O.
feeling or narShueSS with which NJ
roncage IS 80 generally credited n
Paris,
My memory must have eeeu over
estimated" he said
"Sut you have made speeches, = great
many II them" persisted. without
ever changing Wosd cr phrase
There was an OCCASION when yea
quoted several chapters from one 90
yotr e<AkS verbatim and Without cssce
referring tc a note That Is $craethSrS
truly extraordinary. HNw were wa
able to do ltH Now did ynu c<Nrns 70
have such lN>wer> NJ mrnscsys AT
they y natural gists Or a. a ycGns naao
did ycN determine III achieve thsmtN
There II never any heStsancy IN NJ
NaiacaycS replies Ncx VAS there new.
Il do not know that haNe ever tyssI
particularly ~ train my ntesncry." Mas
his reSsSNs.Se, Il have oslly worked aal
applied myself That Is all eelleVe
N Is ehsef,y constant use which Negses;$
memory, | have eNeu IN pllelkc essscs
new for al wears, sVGtS-SNpe years WITH
cut Interruption First As iNepsssy, then
as Senator aS President ~ the rspssc*
TIC And again a. a metacer OF E>ayi!as
ment ana ~ the seNernment> In -
hong = l,aelsc lite eaex miaa must sav
eVitae,y be >AagISneSi
BEYOND that IL II Siesg,sy that -
read 81 hSteneSs I have had the habit ~
clA~StfynS things d. yAx. mind WsAA.N