FRENCH AMBASSADOR

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16210, 7 December 1926, Page 8

FRENCH AMBASSADOR

! PAUL CLATJDEL APPOINTED. (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Australian, and N.Z. Cable Association.) PARIS, December 6. M. Paul Claude!, the noted literateur. lias been appointed French Ambassador in the United States. M. Paul Claudel, was born.at Ville-neuvesur-Fin, Aisne, in August, 1868. After studying law he entered the French Consular Service in 1892, and served successively as Vice-Consul at New York and Shanghai, Consul at Tientsen (1906) and Prague (1909) and Consul-General at Frankfurt-au-Mam (1911). From 1913 until tho war he held a similar post,at Hamburg. During the war he entered tho-Diplomatic Service and in.. 1916 was appointed Minister at Rio de Janeiro. Transferred to Copenhagen in 1919, he was sent to Tokio as Ambassador in 1921. M, Claudel is, perhaps, still better known through his poems, plays and other literary works. While be was still a student be wrote in 1890 the drama "La Tcte d'Or." A second play. "La- Ville," appeared in 1893. Both these works were published anonymously and for a time attracted no attention. In 1904 appeared the first part of his philosophical treatise. "La Connaissance du Monde." Two years later ho completed "Le Parfage "In'Midi" and his first success came'with the publication of ■ his "Odes." While be was at Frankfurt die wrote a mystery play, "L'Amioiicc faite a Marie'," which was first performed, at Hellerau,. Dresden, on October 5., 1912, and.scored a great success when it was first played in Paris at Christmas, 1912.