A STATESMAN.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20491, 9 March 1932, Page 11

A STATESMAN.

DEATH OP M. BRIAND. KING GEORGE EXPRESSES REGRET. INTERNATIONAL TRIBUTES. (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.) RUGBY, March 7. The eminent French statesman, M. Aristide Briand, died at his Paris home this afternoon, following a heart attack. M. Briand, who was 70 years old, was 11 times Premier of France, and had been a warm advocate for peace among the nations. He played an important part in framing the Locarno Treaty, and was joint author, with Mr Kellogg (United States) of the Pact of Paris. His death is profoundly regretted in London, where he had many friends. His Majesty the King, in a telegram to the French President (M.. Paul Doumer), says: "It js with profound regret that I have learned of the sudden death of Monsieur Briand, and I hasten to express my sympathy at the loss of so distinguished a statesman, whose labours in the cause of peace and goodwill among the nations will ever be held in honoured and grateful remembrance." Lord Tyrrell (British Ambassador in Paris) transmitted a letter of sympathy from the Prime Minister (Mr Ramsay Mac Donald) to M. Andre Tardieu (French Premier), and also conveyed to him personal expressions of sympathy on behalf of Mr Stanley Baldwin. Mr Ramsay Mac Donald, in the name of his colleagues and himself, assures the French Government of their deep sympathy in the great loss the French nation has suffered "in the passing of my old friend. We have been working together for well over a generation, and I feel his death with peculiar keenness M. Briand dedicated the best years of his long life without respite to the high purpose of creating a good understanding between the peoples, for which his naiAe will ever bo famous —a monument more lasting than bronze. He was indeed an architect of Peace, and his loss will be deeply felt, not in France only, but among all men of goodwill throughout the world." Tribute at Geneva. When the news of M. Briand's death was read at the meeting in Geneva of the Standing Orders Committee of the Disarmament Conference the delegates stood in silence with bowed heads. A touching tribute was paid by the chairman, M. Paul Hymans (Belgium). In an interview at Geneva Sir John Simon (British Foreign Minister) said few statesmen of our time had won so noble a place in the history of mankind as M. Briand, alike by liis love for and devoted service to his own country, and by his whole-hearted work for tho cause of peace and international friendship. "At this difficult moment in the League's history," ho added, "we can pay no better tribute than by doing our utmost to cherish the great institution to the building of which M. Briand devoted so much enthusiasm." During the debate in the House of Commons on the Navy estimates, Sir Austen Chamberlain referred to the death of M. Briand, remarking that the cause of peace needed new friends to ' take the place of those who had passed away. "No man was a better friend of that cause." he said, "and no man espoused that cause more loyally, and we who mourn him may find encouragement aijd stimulus to continue his effort by following his example."

THE LAST PHASE.

DEATH FROM HEART FAILURE. FAMOUS MEN PAY HOMAGE. (united mess association—by elect'hic 1 TFI EGRAPH —COPYRIGHT.) (Received March Bth, 7 p.m.) PARIS, March 7. In a room bare as a hermit's cell, M. Briand breathed his last. In spite of every care of the specialists rationing his. abnormal consumption of cigarettes, ho became unconscious and succumbed to heart failure in his modest home in the Avenue Klober, whither he returned at the instance of Drs. Vacquc-z and Marx, who were unable to undertake adequate treatment at his country home in Cocherel. M. Briand had been in bed since his arrival, and grew worse last night, being too weak to move this morning. He was a bachelor, but a nephew, a niece, and three collaborators were present at his deathbed. M. Briand began his career aa a contributor to an Anarchist newspaper as an advocate of direct action, and ended as a single-minded devotee to the peace of the world. For a French politician he was rich, but the death chamber contained only a bedstead, a table, and a chest of drawers on which stood a loving cup, the gift of Sir Austen Chamberlain in commemoration of Locarno. His leonine features seemed to have re: covered the strength of youth as the body ley in a wide, white bed in brilliant limelight, dressed in customary evening clothes awaiting the lying in State and a national funeral. Celebrities paying their last homage crowded into the little pink and yellow rooms hung with political cartoons and signed portraits of famous associates. Statesmanship Honoured. The Premier, M. Andre Tardicu, white with emotion, stepped from tho centre of a hushed group into the bedroom 1 and kissed the dead statesman's hand. A crowd gathered in the street, and many people were unaffectedly weeping. Tributes to the dead patriot were paid by' monarchs, statesmen, and famous people of nearly every country in tho world, echoing and amplifying Sir Austen Chamberlain's noble epitaph, "Tho greatest European of us all." Lord Cecil honoured his statesmanship, and Mr Arthur Henderson cited the Disarmament Conference as his monument. When the news of M. Briand J s death reached Geneva, the League of Nations Assembly adjourned. M. Bouisson informed' the Chamber of Deputies of the death of its great-

est orator, after which M. Taidieu spoke and the Assembly rose in token ' of mourning. The leading newspapers devote editorials to M. Briand's career, English papers emphasising his steadfast friendship to Britain through all the years of war and trial.

A GREAT FRENCHMAN

M. Aristide Briand, the son of an innkeeper, was born in March, 1862, in the Breton town of St. Nazaire. As a youth he secured a scholarship at the Nantes Lycee, which enabled him to study law, and at the age of he was an advocate practising at Nantes. He soon entered journalism and became editor of the Socialist paper "Laternc." He moved forward rapidly, f and as a result _of his convincing oratory as a platform speaker, was appointed Secretary of the Socialist Party. He returned to his profession as an advocate and made & name as a legal champion of the workers. 153 . In 1902 he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, where he was conspicuous in debates on the law separating the Church and the State in. 1905. A year later, in March (his fateful month) he gained his first, Cabinet appointment in Sarrien's Ministry as Minister for Education: Later he became Minister for Justice, in which position he tried hard, but in -vain, to have the death penalty abolished. On October 23rd, 1909, M. Briand became Premier for the first time. This was the beginning of his prominent career as an Administrator, during which he occupied the Premiership on eleven different occasions. Internationally. M. Briand was known best for his service to France and to Europe as Foreign Minister. With the exception of an interval of four days he was Foreign Minister for France continuously for close on seven years. His name and his work were and will remain associated with a series of historic scenes and great international events, including the Washington Disarmament Conference, the Cannes Conference, the Locarno Security Pact, the Kellogg Pact or Treaty of Paris, the Franco-Jugoslav Treaty, and several vital conferences at Geneva. In 1926 lie shared the Nobel Peace Prize with I>r. Stresemann, of Germany, and was also given the honorary degree of D:C.L. bv Oxford It has been said of him that he was a man of infinite resource. _ with a genius for surmounting difficulties. "The outstanding feature of his oratory, was his mastery over the tones and modulations of a rich and melodious voice. He never faltered for a word, and neper chose a wrong cue. His voice was rarely raised, his gestures rarely emphatic except when he wanted to defend France ncrainst the charge ot militarism." He cared passionately for peace and placed supreme reliance on the League of Nations. He was always a man of the people, and a complete Frenchman. He never troubled -to learn English or anv other foreign language, and he travelled little outside France. He once visited the "United States, and on two occasions he made diplomatic excursions to England.