Evening star., 1932-03-08
Aristide BRAND.

A chronological record of the min
isterial services of AriStide BRAND.
whose death yesterday shocked France
and the world beyond more profoundly
than the passing of any other French
man of modern times, reveals career
Of extraordinary activity. In the course
of twenty-six years he was a member
of no less than twenty-three ministries.
eleven times as premier, fourteen times
as foreign minister, four times as min
ister of the interior. three times as
minister Of justice and twice as minis
ter OF education and religion. This
record has never been equaled and will
perhaps stand unique for generations,
maybe for all time. 1t Is significant
OF the development of Brands states
manship that he began with the port
folio of education and religion and
passed then to Justice and interior al
ternating these two posts until october,
1915, when, as premier, he assumed the
role Of foreign minister, which he held
continuously, with only those inter-
ruptions due to the frequent changes
of organization. until few weeks ago.
when the Laval ministry passed out
under an adverse vote in the Senate.
BRAND began his public career as a
radical journalist, early associating
himself with Jaures. He did not long
follow the great Socialist leader. how
ever, later becoming his antagonist. He
formed a union of the radical elements
in Parliament and developed the move
ment which led to the separation of
church and state. 1t was doubtless this
move which led him into the more con-
servative associations and evolved his
interests into the broader field of
foreign relations. When the Great
War broke in 1914 he was minister of
justice under the premiership of Viviani,
whom he succeeded as premier in Oc-
tober 1914, taking the foreign portfolio
for the first time. That was the begin
ming of the phase of his career with
which his name will be longest remem-
bered.
Out Of the government, save for spe-
cial commissions, from March, 1917, to
January, 1921, BRAND began, upon his
return to Office, which continued with
only brief Interruptions until his re-
tirement in January last, his extra
ordinary efforts to develop a structure
of peace in Europe. He had progressed
from politics to craftsmanship He
came to Washington as delegate to the
Disarmament Conference of 1922.
He became a world figure. Locarno
was one of his triumphs For that he
received the Nobel peace prize for 1926.
On every possible occasion he invcKed
his great powers of oratory to effecs
reconciliation OF international differ
enceS and to bring about an era CT
peace. He originated the project OF
remuneration Of war through the
Briand-Kellogg treaties.
1t may be that BRAND felt that his
DldD
for an economic union of Europe failed.
His influence began then to wane.
When last year he was defeated for the
presidency of France he received a
mortal wound. While he continued in
service, under two premiers, he was dis
heartened, and though he still fought
vigorously for the adjustment of inter-
national differences by negotiation and
arbitration he found the influences of
politics too great handicap. Had his
health permitted he would probably
have been in the front of the line at
Geneva for the third Disarmament
Conference and for the efforts of the
League Of Nations to check the conflict
in China. His absence from that scene
was marked as the first grave indica-
ton that he was at the end of his
heroic endeavors.
History will properly place BRAND,
but it will require a perspective OF con-
sideration TO give him his true rating.
Ltlo cfoiutioil was IcIdlOcQ ny IIlc eAl-
gencies OF politics. His compromises at
times made it difficult to accord him
the fullest credit for sincerity and con-
sistency. Yet he will doubtless stand
forth as a commanding figure of the
first third of the twentieth century, one
| of the very great men of France. and
force for peace in the world whose
works may triumph even though his
eloquence is stilled forever
Snow shovels come into belated action
| A hliurn rd hsirnc out the satisfa ntiax, nt