Evening star., 1932-05-01
Continued From First Page.)

secretary OF the prime minister,
Tardieu occupied a position somewhat
similar to that of the secretary to the
President of the United States. A more
exacting job could hardly be imagined.
Yet, he handled the task so well that
at 27 he was made general inspector
of the administrative services. He saw
all and he knew all that was to be
known about the administration. The
horoscopes were set and the prophecy
was made that here was the embryo
of future premier of France.
Column Excites Speculation.
1t was in those days that Paris began
to take notice of a brilliant daily po-
litical column in the aristocratic LIE
Figaro, signed by a Georges VillierS
The name was a pseudonym, it was
agreed, and there was much animated
gossip as to who the mysterious writer
could be. "Villiers" seemed to know all
the ins and outs Of the political world;
no other columnist of his day possessed
to the same extent his delightful facility
of expression and his mass OF solid
knowledge.
Then, of a sudden, "Villiers" dtsap-
pared, and LIE Temps, the most influ-
ential newspaper in France, had a new
foreign editor who wrote as brilliantly
and with as much insight into the ma
chinery that propelled the political and
diplomatic world as had "Villiers." The
puzzle was solved Andre Tardieu and
Georges Villiers we're one and the same.
AS the foreign editor of lie Temps
and the confidant of the great Adrien
Hebrard, its director, Andre Tardieu
reached the pinnacle Of a journalistic
career. His influence was immense.
Representatives of foreign governments
studied every line he wrote. These
lines might mean to their countries
balanced budget or the coveted French
| friendship. There are six great pow
ers," Prince Won Bulow, the German
chancellor, said, land M Tardieu 10 the
seventh"
A conservative nationalist, Tardieu
came to be considered the inspired in
| terpreter Of the policies of the right
wing of the French republican forces.
At the same time he became the darling
of the aristocratic salons, where
Duchess de Rohan, a Princess de Murat
and ComteSSe de CaStellane perpetu-
ated the traditions of the Napoleonic
regime and the Restoration.
Tardieu fought heart and soul for the
re-establishment of the three-year mill
| tary service in France, by which he
expected to check Germany's military
advance He battled shoulder to shoul
der in the movement for a greater
France, the mere patrie" must be re-
vitaliZed, he shouted, the ranks Of the
I metropolitan forces must be filled with
| the man power of the colonies. At the
/ time of the Agadir incident in 1911,
! when Kaiser Wilhelm shook warning
! finger at France, he took strong stand
against Germanys expansion in Africa.
Tardieus reputation as a publicist
and author rested on firm political
| foundation when he received an invita-
| ton from Harvard University in 1908
| to give a course of lectures on French
! literature. He was then 80. In the
United States he was a smashing
success.
Meets Roosevelt.
| Here he met Theodore Roosevelt, and
| the youthful Frenchman Immediately
| became a disciple of the American
| President VOLTA un homme! ex-
! claimed Tardieu. Not even the beloved
| Clemenceau gave him so much nsplra-
tion. Here was a revolutionist who ac-
| cornplished his aim without revolution
Here was a man who knew how 70
catch the imagination Of 100000, 900
people, and how to make them want
new national ideals. -.
| AS a YOuIlR HAL hAS'N%
ed that one day he would be called
upon to play a leading role in France
and his ambition-like Roosevelt S
was to revitalize his country. His meet
ing with Roosevelt gave that ambition
q definite turn. He discovered through
the American that power was not LOT
the man with too much introspectlon,
but for the one able to grasp the hid
den meaning of great problems IN tnelr
relation to the rhythm of the age. Tne
! task of the successful statesman, ne
realized, was to simply involved prob
lens into comprehensive national
! ideals and to muster all his tenaclty 10
carry them to success.
/ Tardieu was not lacking in that te-
nacity. His protruding underlip, so
Characteristic of his fighting mood, be-
trays an affinity with the wielder OF
| the big stick" himself.
When he returned to France and his
friends asked him what he had learned
| in the United States he answered Jok-
ingly, ITO play golf" He knew that he
| had learned much more, but he did not
know in what good stead his knowledge
was to come in Frances hour OF grave
danger.
Then came the World War and Andre
| Tardieu was placed in charge OF the press.
! department at general army headquar-
tiers. This was perhaps the most diff
cult task in TardieuS colorful career.
He had to issue those army COM
muniuues," Michel Misoffe, a close
| friend, wrote of him, (which must not
give away anything essential, while
stirring the nation to paroxysms OF en-
| thuSiaSm."
But Chantilly and its army headquar-
/ tiers could not give Tardieu the thrill
that comes when defying death. IN
vain ministers and generals sought to
prove to him that he would be miscast
in the trenches, that he would be merely
tiny part in huge machine. Tar
dieu remained adamant and finally he
was allowed to join the field army as
the captain Of a company of chasseurs.
In tie trenches Tard1eu was what
| the French call an "animateur." He
never st his sense of humor and could
turn to fun even such unromantic oc-
currences as swimming to new positions
in a sea of mud. Many of his comrades
still treasure the comic pictures he drew
| by the score.
/ But now the United States declared
war on Germany and France was more
certain than ever that she could not
afford to waste a master organizer on a
company of chaSSeurs. In the middle
of May, 1917, the French cruiser Mar
seillaise steamed into Hampton Roads
and on board was the high commS-
sioner Of France in the United States,
Andre Tardieu. He had been selected
by Premier Rihot to help America speed
her preparations. American divisions
we're needed on the front as tonic to
the war-weary French.
! A staff of thousand men and women
! working at top speed in the Office of
the French high commissioner indi-
Gated his idea of efficiency. During the
18 months he was the liaison officer be-
| tween the two governments he ex-
changed 10000 cables with France and
! his men took the stump $4,000 times
to help whip America into frenzy OF
enthusiasm.
| Recalls Visit to McAdoO.