M. CAILLAUX.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16710, 21 April 1925, Page 10

M. CAILLAUX.

THE POLITICIAN WHO HAS “COME BACK.”

A REMARKABLE HISTORY

The Paris correspondent of the Daily Alail writes:—

AL Joseph Caillaux, the politician who has “come back” oft oner than any other in France, is making another bold bid fur power, and his return to office is being openly discussed even in quarters most unsympathetic to his personality and his policy. He lias managed to weave around his name the glamor of “the great, financier of France,” and in French politics such reputations have often established the fortunes of men more unpopular than AI. Caillaux. Everything about M. Caillaux is strange and paradoxical. He has fallen oftener —and lower—than any politician in the history of tho Third Republic, and yet liobas always climbed.back to power with a skill and a perseverance for which even the bitterest enemies give him credit. Sixty-one years of age, lie has held office from ait Under-Secretary to tho Premiership on. dozens of occasions. Each time lie lias left office it has been, however, to the accompaniment, of turmoil and the crash of sonic great political or society scandal. He is a man of middle height and of elegant appearance. CONCESSIONS TO GERMANY. AI. Caillaux stands for a strong and energetic political administration, harsh at times almost to ruthlossness; for a searching financial policy which would extort from often unwilling taxpayers every penny of their dues in tax to the State. He also stands for a Continental policy which would lead France to reconcile herself with Germany and substitute a Franco-German entente for tho Entente Cordially, which has always been the object of his most bitter attacks.

When lie has held office, even as far back as 1906, his policy lias always boon one of concessions to Germany and but barely veiled hostility to Great Britain. In 1911 AI. Caillaux’s Government was negotiating with Germany on the subject of Alorocco. At. de Selves, who was his Foreign Minister, was in charge of the negotiations, when, to his surprise, he found that the German Government, apparently friendly and conciliatory, had suddenly stiffened its attitude. The secret was disclosed by an accident. The French Secret Service secured a copy of a Germany cipher, and three messages exchanged between the Wilhelmstrasso and the Germany Embassy in the Rue de Lille were deciphered and laid on AI. de Selvo’s table. They were the famous “green documents” spoken of during the trial of Alme. Caillaux for the murder of AI. Calmette, editor of the Figaro, and whose authenticity, then denied, has now been proved beyond doubt. They showed that behind tho back of his Foreign Minister AL Caillaux was i unducting private negotiations with Berlin. M. Caillaux’s terms were more favorable to Germany than those sent from tlin Quai d’Orsuv by AI. de Selves.

The famous scene in the committee room of tho Sonata followed. AI. Clemcnceau, president of llio Foreign Affairs Commission of the Senate, charged AI. Caillaux with ‘(secret diplomacy” and forced him to resign. Efforts were made to keep the real reasons from being made public, but they were the talk of Paris, and as M. Cnillaux’s successor was obliged to honor the promises'AL Caillaux had made and hand over a portion of French Colonial territory to Germany, M. Caillaux became extremely unpopular. SHOOTING OF AI. CALMETTE.

It was believed that this crash meant his political doom, but that was not giving AL Caillaux credit for his strength of mind and purpose. French political life is intricate and fuller of surprises than that which we know in England, and the spring of 1914 saw AI. Caillaux, more autocratic and aristocrats than eyor, back in power as Minister of Finance in AL Doumcrgue’s Ministry. Ho was still as unpopular as ever, and it was currently stated at the time that he could not walk down the Boulevards as far' as the Madeleine without serious risk to life and limb.

The Figaro, under the able directorship of M. Calmette, voiced this popular indignation and threatened to publish some of. AI. Caillaux’s private correspondence, including the famous “green documents.” M. Calmette was shot by Alme. Caillaux, and before the trial by jtirv at the Paris assizes the versatile politician had again fallen from power. It was thus that the war found AT. Caillaux, even still more hated and disliked 'bv his opponents, feared by lus political” adherents, and out of power. This early days of Ihe war were full of hitter disillusion for his proud and resentful spirit. Mobilised as a Colonel in charge of tluv Field Pav offices, his brother officers took advantage of an obsolete, regulation to deny him a salute as an officer. His personal friends were detected in petty acts of peculation and condemned bv court-martial. lie was condemned to inaction unless he could find by sonic moans, dangerous and impolitic'in war time, a loophole by which he could cieap hack to power. Finally there came the greatest tragedy which has so far interrupted his meteoric career; he was arrested on the charge of corresponding with the enemy. A WARNING.

Tried by the Senate High Court, on charges which might possibly have resulted in life imprisonment, M. Cnillnux showed himself the same arrogant and autocratic personality ns during his periods of triumph. Found guilty and sentenced, he never bowed his head. A Frenchman, better versed than many of his compatriots in international politics, one who has filled some of the highest posts in France, and who ns a patriot is a fervent upholder of the Entente Cordiale between Franco and Great Britain, uttered in private conversation. will) me the other day a vorv solemn warning as to what M. C'aillaux s return to power might mean. “C'aillaux is a mam of unbounded ambition, of supremo pride, and of never*

dying resentment. I bold him to be a danger to France mid a danger to Great Britain. lam convinced that when the Senate High Court found him guilty of having entered into forbidden communication with tho enemy during the war they were right. Ido not think that he did so with the mercenary object of betraying his country, but that —possibly a worse crime—he did so through pride and ambition to forward his own policy of rapprochement with Germany and hostility towards Great Britain. “Be that as it may, the public should never forget, either in; Frame or in Grcnt Britain, that AT. Caillaux’s policy has always bean one of friendship to Germany and enmity towards Great Britain. He was during the war a public danger to his own country and to yours, and unless he is greatly changed 1 fear lm will remain so.”