Marcel Sembat

Maoriland Worker, Volume 12, Issue 299, 22 November 1922, Page 16

Marcel Sembat

GIFTED FBENCH SOCIALIST

Marcel Senibat, orator and artist, one of the loved and respected leaders of French .Socialism, died snddemly at Chamounix in September, at the iage of 62. - When __c was dead twelve 'hours, Mme. Sembat, saying, ''I am already late," bade farewell to her friends and shost herself with a revolver. Sembat was one of tho "old gujard" of French Socialism. He sat sMe by; side with Jules Guesde, Vaillant and Jaurea in the Chamber of Deputies j elected in 1893, and in 1902 helped to promote the un'&n of .the scattered elements of French Socialism. Jean Longuet has written of Sembut as the greatest journalist which, the French Socialist Press has ever ; possessed. There were periods when his articles, glittering with paradox and epigram, were the delight of the political and literary world of Paris. In the Chamber, where he was senior member of the Socialist Group,, he always had the ear of the As-; sembly. He knew how to tease an opponent, rail at him, treat his argu-' ments with an irony sometimes gentle, 1 sometimes aggressive, literally knocking him about with a /ch,aTm and good temper that disarmed all enmity. An expert en.foreign affairs, he recognised the antithesis between the Republican and * Democratic spirit,, and h's prophetic book "Faites la Paix ou faites un Roi" ("Make Peace or Have a King"), published in 1913,: was the text of many interesting discussions. When the war : came he ranged him-' self without hesitation on the "of France. In the early days he was offered a Post in the Ministry, but ho refused it. Some weeks later, however, in (agreement with his Party, he became Minister of Ifublic Works in the Ministry of National Defence at a moment when Paris was gravely threatened, and the Republic compromised Jby the omnipotence of the great leaders of Imperialist reaction. His last great effort in the Chamber of Deputies was made with the view; of removing- the misunderstandings: between the- French and British peoples. He had long conversations with Sidney and Beatrice Webb in Paris, and shortly afterwards, in Brussels. He was an eager speaker and listener during round-table conversations with Henderson, Mac Donald and Shaw. As his English comrades had spoken frankly to him, lie felt it his duty to speak with the same frankness to the members of the French Parliament, who were obliged for the ; space of ian hour to see France' \ through English eyes. He took part, together with, comrades of the British, and Belgian Labour Parties, in a series of conferences given by the French Socialist Party In the principal towns of France, with a view cf impressing upon public opinion the necessity of a- policy concerning itself simultaneously with the interests of France, of Europe and of Peace—the Peace of. humanity bet-ween all the nations which Sembat held should be established without delay. He returned from these conferences cheered and enthusiastic. He proposed that such meetings should be held again at the beginning of the winter. "We must g 0 to Eagland and toi Germany," he said. "I want to take ■part in them." Mme. Sembat, also a Socialist, was a noted' painter and sculptor and her bust of Jules Guesde is an acknowledged masterpiece.