SIX STATESMEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 151, 27 June 1940, Page 6

SIX STATESMEN.

LEADERS IN LONDON.

THREE EX-PREMIERS.

LONG POLITICAL SERVICE.

OR&ANISING FOR FUTURE. The French overseas Empire is rallying to the call of its leaders and'events are moving fast in a dramatic battle to preserve the entity of the colonies and mould them to a force that will continue the struggle against the invaders of the epil of France. The tocsin was Bounded by General-do Gaulle, but into the limelight there' now step six statesmen who liave been associated with the political life of France for !i!Siiy years.

They are 31. Kdouard Herriot, M. Paul lSoncour, M. Leon Blum and SI. Pierre Cot, who are already reported to liavo readied London, and AL Ueorgce Mtmdcl and 1L Cesar Cainpinehi, wiu> are expected soon. Present indications point to the formation of a I'reucji Government in London, or perhaps in one of Franco's North African possessions. M. Herriot was 'born in 1872, and in his first excursion to polities in 1912 ho was one of the leaders of the ltadicalSoqialists. During the first Great War lie ttiis Minister of Lmbour, Food" and Transport in M. BriandVs lUth Cabinet.

After the fall of M. Poinoa.ro in 1924," 11. Herriot became Premier and survived the hurly-ibttriy of politics for two years, when his Government fell, and he joined M. Poincare's Government of National Union, which included six cx-Pjcmiers. This step got him into trouble with his party. Socialist Opposition, Twice, in 1920 and 1031, as the result of Socialist Jioetility, he resigned the mayoralty of Lyons, ;but in each case was induced to continue in oflice. Despite his pacifist views, he declared against tlie revision of the Treaty ot Versailles and against Austro-German 'inion. He resigned the leadership of the KadicalSocialifit party in 1931, after 40 of its members had voted against the Government's Naval Bill, . In the following year's elections the Left gained a victory aud 'IX. Herriot formed a Cabinet, being Foreign Minister as well as Premier. A year younger than M. Herriot, M. Joseph Paul-Boncour engaged in journalism, then had a brilliant career at the Paris Bar. His resemblance to Robespierre was striking and- he made a cult of it. He entered politics in 189S as first secretary of the Spanish-Amwican Peace Conference in Paris. Then in 190G he was made head of a section in the Labour Ministry and became Minister of Labour in the ilonis Cabinet. After losing his seat in 1014 he. fought |? t the front, risiiig to the command of aj battalion. Foreign Policy. Re-entering", jiolities, he occupied him, self chiefly with foreign affairs and lias often played a. prominent part at Geneva. In all discissions on ■ disarmament he urged that it ehonld be preceded by guarantees of security. He had long been a Socialist, but in 1031, on leaving the Chamber for the Senate, he resigned from the Socialist party. When M. Briand retired from tho'Laval Cabinet in 1932, M. Paul-Boncour became Flench representative at Geneva for the second time. Ho added the. post of War Ministor in M. Herriot's Government in the same year, and when this Government fell after , , a few months ho formed a Government in which ho was also Foreign Minister. This survived two months and he subsequently served in the Cabinets of M.M. Daladier, Sarraut and Chautomps. In 193G he was Minister without portfolio under Sarraut, but refused a post offered to him in M. Chautemp's Government of I»3S. Noted Socialist Leader. M.-Lcon Blum, noted French Socialist, was born in 1572, and took an interest in politics from the age of 27. He inherited a fortune from his father, also mado a large sum at the bar. He was elected to the Chamber after the war, when he strongly opposed the occupation of the Ruhr, and was a, champion of disarmament.

M. Blum wae the victim of a savage attack by Royalists in 1938, when b"e was dragged from his car and seriously wounded. The outrage caused a tremendous sensation in the Chamber and resulted in drastic action taken against the Boyalists. After the Jlay elections of that year, which resulted in a victory for the Popular Front, M. Blum became Premier. Ho took office in the midst of a great strike movement, which ended in favour of the workers. His legislation included a 40hour week, recognition of the trade unions, relief works, nationalisation of war industries and reform of the Dank of France. He resigned in 1937, admitting that financial difficulties had reached "alarming proportions," and took office in M. ChttUtcnips' Cabinet. Air Expansion. Aged 43 years, M. Pierre Cot had a distinguished legal career and in 102S was elected to the Chamber as a member of the Left wing of the EadicalSocialist party. -In Paul-Boneour's Government of December, 1932, he was Undor-Secrctary for Foreign Affairs, and when If. Daladier became Premier tho following year lie was entrusted with the Air portfolio. He secured a pilot's certificate and issued a decree to encourage private flying. He was the first French Cabinet Minister to visit Soviet territory while in office.'

Georges Mnidcl was Uie right hand man of Clcmcnceau, and began his political career in the Ministerial Cabinet of tho "Tigyt , before lie had come of age. Subsequently he was tho enemy of all French Governments, and played ii prominent hand in tho overthrow of many of them. He delivered a scathing indictment of Germany in 1933. Ho was appointed Minister of Post and Telegraphs in the Flandin Cabinet of 1834.

A Corsican, M. Cesar Campichi was born in 18S2, studied law, and became Minister of Defence in the Blum Government. He was Minister for the Merchant Marino in the Cliautcmps Cabinet, in the next Chantemps Government Minister of Justice, and in those of MM. Blum and Daladier Minister for the Navy. • .