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Raymond Poincare

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RAYMOND POINCARE (1860-), French statesman and writer ( see 21.892). After the fall of the Sarrien Ministry in 1906 M. Poincare ceased for some years to take an active part in politics. On Dec. 9 1909 he was made a member of the French Academy. In 1911 he was invited to join the Monis Ministry, but refused. His opportunity came at the beginning of 1912, and on Jan. 13 he became head of what was popularly known as the "great" or "national" Ministry, in which he also held the portfolio of Foreign Affairs. As Prime Minister Poincare aimed at safeguarding the interests of France abroad, especially against the menace of the Triple Alliance, and at strengthening her at home by firm government and the restoration of social discipline. In this lie was helped by the revival of a strong national feeling in France, provoked by the international crisis of 1911. The fact that he was a Lorrainer prejudiced public opinion in his favour, and his popularity was increased by his' foreign policy - especially the successful establishment of the French protectorate over Morocco and the conclusion of the naval agreement with Russia. In Aug. 1912 Poincare went to St. Petersburg to confer with the Tsar and his ministers about the Franco-Russian Alliance and the new developments of the Eastern question, a visit which countered the somewhat depressing effect in France of the meeting of the German and Russian Emperors at Baltic Port on July 4. The Balkan Wars, and Poincare's attitude towards the problem raised by them, greatly increased his prestige; he declared on Dec. 4 to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber that he was determined to secure respect for the economic and political interests of France, not only in the Balkan Peninsula, but in the Ottoman Empire generally, and especially in Syria.

At the beginning of 1913 he became a candidate for the presidency. This action excited strong personal as well as political feeling, and his election was hotly contested, the second and. third ballots showing a majority for his most serious competitor, M. Pams. On appeal to the National Assembly, however, he was ultimately elected by a majority of 187 votes over M. Pams, his inauguration taking place on Feb. 18 amid great demonstrations of popular enthusiasm. Two days later he showed that he intended to exercise the right of the President to address Parliament direct - a right which had fallen into desuetude - by sending a message to the Chambers, in which he stated that it was his function as President "to be a guide and adviser for public opinion in times of crisis" and "to seek to make a rational choice between conflicting interests." His activities as President were still directed to strengthening the internal and external position of France. In June 1913, after inspecting the fleet at Toulon, he paid a State visit to England (24-27), during which he enlarged on the necessity of the perpetual association of the two nations "for the progress of civilization and the maintenance of the peace of the world." In the autumn he made a motor tour of the south of France, - being greeted everywhere with popular acclamation, the bands playing the irredentist march "Sambre et Meuse," - and attended the army manoeuvres at Toulouse. His State visit to Spain followed in October.

The President's activity and enormous popularity roused the anger of the Opposition parties, and the Radical-Socialist congress at Pau, on Oct. 17, passed a resolution condemning "the aspirations of personal policy." This had no effect, how ever, on public opinion, and Poincare's popularity was undiminished during the months immediately preceding the outbreak of the World War. On the very eve of the war, immediately after the rising of the Chambers on July 15 1914, Poincare set out on a State visit to Russia and the Scandinavian countries, arriving at Kronstadt on July 20. His visit to Sweden was, however, interrupted by the serious news from France, and on the 29th he was back in Paris. He now made a personal appeal to King George V. to use his influence in favour of peace, while the Ministry asked for the armed intervention of Great Britain. After the outbreak of war his activities were mainly directed to stirring up the patriotic spirit of the people, as in his messages to the Chambers of Aug. 4 1914 and Aug. 5 1915, or his speech on July 14 1915 on the occasion of the transference of the remains of Rouget de Lisle, the composer of the "Marseillaise," to the Invalides. On Oct. 4 1914 he also visited the French head-quarters.

After the conclusion of the Armistice Poincare made a tour in Alsace and Lorraine, his official entrance into Metz taking place on Dec. 4 1918. On Jan. 18 1919 he opened the Peace Conference in Paris with a short speech, in which he emphasized "justice" as the guiding principle of the victorious Allies. His term of office expired on the following Feb. 18. He subsequently accepted the presidency of the Reparations Commission, which he resigned in May 1920 as a protest against what he considered to be the undue leniency shown to Germany. This became the text of a violent press campaign which he carried on, against the policy of the Supreme Council in general and of Mr. Lloyd George in particular (see France: History). During 1920 and 1921 it was Poincare's influence that was mainly dictating the aggressiveness of French feeling in international politics; and during the latter part of Briand's premiership, culminating in Briand's visit to the United States for the Washington Conference at the end of 1921, it was Poincare who was fomenting the criticism that French interests were being undermined. The result was seen when, in the midst of the Cannes Conference in Jan. 1022, the proposal for an Anglo-French treaty of defence led to Briand's hasty return to Paris to answer interpellations with regard to his policy in the Chamber, and to his sudden resignation on Jan. 13 without facing discussion on a vote of confidence. Poincare was at once entrusted by President Millerand with the formation of a new Cabinet, which he completed on Jan. 15, and French policy under his premiership was now given a definitely Nationalist orientation.

Poincare's published works include Du droit de suite dans la propriete mobilaire (1883); Idees contemporaines (1906); Questions et figures politiques (1907).

See Henry Girard, Raymond Poincare (1913); Raymond Poincare, a sketch (1914); Larousse Mensuel, No. 158 (1920)