VOLTAIRE

Evening Star, Issue 19003, 27 July 1925, Page 7

VOLTAIRE

PATRON “SAINT” OF FRENCH JOURNALISTS. A sort of plebiscite has boon organised among journalists'by the ‘Eclair’ for the purpose of the nomination from among great figures of the past of a patron of tho craft. Many, if not most, of the leading journalists in France have taken part. In practice the plebiscite has ended in a sort of confessional test. St. Paul has obtained seven votes “despite,” says M. Paul Souday, in the ‘Temps,’ “his bad Greek.’’ M. Bouday admits, however, that in the Epistles St. Paul showed a journalist’s facility in touching upon a wide variety of topics. St. Francis of Sales runs \ him close with sis votes, though the wonder is that he did not obtain the whole of the Catholic vote in view of his nomination as patron saint of journalism early in the century by Pius Xt. St. John the Baptist, the other St. John, St. Antony of Padua, Moses, “the authors of tho Bible” also received votes. Christ was chosen by certain idealists. Among lay candidates were Diderot, St. Simon, Rochefort, and Victor Hugo. The result, of the vote is tho election by an overwhelming majority of Voltaire.