FRANCE: De Freycinet

Charles Louis de Saulces de Frey-cinet, veteran French statesman, died at his home in Paris, aged 94. He had lived during the reigns of Charles X and Louis Philippe, through the Second Republic, the regime of Louis Napoleon, through the first 52 years of the Third Republic. He was born at Foix in the Ariege, on November 14, 1828, was the son of Louis Claud de Saulces de Freycinet, celebrated navigator and savant, and belonged to an old Protestant family of Dauphiny—one of the most illustrious in France.

The deceased statesman held no fewer than ten political posts during his lifetime. He was on four occasions Premier—1879, 1882, 1886, 1890; Minister of War, 1870, 1885, 1888, 1898; Minister of Public Works 1877. In 1887 he stood for the presidency, but was defeated by Sadi Carnot. In 1882 he was elected to the Academic des Sciences and in 1890 he was elected to the Academic Franchise in the room of Emile Augier. In 1915 he was appointed Minister without portfolio in the Briand administration. He wrote many books, the best of which were on such subjects as railway economics, infinitesimal analysis, irrigation and the philosophy of science. That is the outline of his life as a statesman, politician, academician, writer.

He cannot be termed a successful man. He probably made more mistakes than any other French public servant made before him.

His policy cost France her interests in Egypt; he became involved in a religious dispute, which, if he had not fallen from power, might have had serious consequences; once he resigned a cabinet post in a fit of anger; in the war of 1870 he helped the Germans to win through hampering his own generals. Nevertheless, he did much useful work. After the 1870 debacle he reorganized the army and introduced conscription. He created the General Staff and the Supreme Council as it was during the Great War. As Minister of Public Works he constructed 2,000 miles of railway and 8,000 miles of canals. As a scientific writer he wrote many valuable books, but most of his political works are considered too biased.

When ex-Premier Clemenceau arrived in France from his visit to the United States, he went to pay a call on the aged statesman. The two veterans argued heatedly about the reparations question, with the result that de Freycinet's physician gave orders that no more visitors were to be admitted and under no circum stances could M. Clemenceau call again.