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His "career" began when, after becoming an influential lawyer at Nîmes, he was sent as a beady-eyed, black-mustached Magistrate, first to Indo-China (1890-92) and then to Algeria (1892-93). Returning, he was elected a Deputy, became a noted authority on colonial administration, held several of the lesser Ministries, became a Senator in 1910, and Premier (1910-13).
Throughout the War he served with distinction as Colonial Minister and then became President of the Senate (1923-24).
Few French statesmen are more genuinely beloved. While his fellows clawed and slashed their bitter tscandal-strewn way to power, Gaston Doumergue disarmed his enemies and heartened his friends with a smile, proved by daily application his notable if not transcendent abilities, and was happily wafted up to the Presidency.
Though he rode into that office as a Radical-Socialist when the electorate returned the present "Left Parliament"* in 1924, M. Doumergue is neither "radical" nor "socialist" but a "liberal" endowed with common sense. He has exercised with great tact and ability the thankless role of a President compelled to appoint 9 Ministries of widely varying political complexions within 25 months.
Serene, he resides complacently at the luxurious Palais d'Elysee, gives his famous "little banquets," sips the wine of life as a connoiseur.
PREMIERS
Georges Clemenceau (Nov. 16, 1917, to Jan. 17, 1920), 85, most illustrious of living Frenchmen, first internationally famed for his successful championship with Zola of Captain Dreyfus. (See TIME, Jan. 4, FRANCE, "Tiger, Tiger!" for a life sketch.) He retired from public life, embittered, when defeated for the Presidency by "that vol-au-vent" (windbag) Paul Deschanel.
Alexandre Millerand (January to February and February to September, 1920. See above). He "logically" succeeded Clemenceau upon the latter's resignation, as one of the outstanding politicians of the Right. During the two terms in question he showed great independence in picking able Ministers from outside his own party (Nationalist), weathered an attack by Theodore Steeg, now French Resident-General to Morocco, and increased so greatly in prestige that he was elected President of the Republic by a vote of 695 to 892 on the resignation of President Deschanel. (See above.)
Georges Jean Claude Leygues (September, 1920, to January, 1921), 68, journalist, poet, historian, ministerial veteran of the 90's under the late famed Premier Waldeck-Rousseau. He succeeded Millerand upon the latter's ascension to the Presidency, and dutifully continued a loyal henchman of the Right.
Aristide Briand (January, 1921, to January, 1922), 64, veteran "Left" spellbinder, ten times Premier. He was appointed for the term in question because his supreme ability as a negotiator was felt to be requisite in dealing with the then pressing problem of security arising out of the Peace Treaties. He represented France at the Washington Naval Disarmament Conference (November, 1921), but was overthrown by the "Right" when he attempted to negotiate security with Lloyd George at the ill-starred Cannes Conference.