Mt. Pleasant Pyramid | 1937-01-15 | Page 2 | A French Tragedy

A French Tragedy ' The French Minister of Interior Roger Salengro committed ,'iuicide because cf continued attacks by his enemies, charging him with having deserted tc the Germans during the World War, impugning his patriotism pat-riotism ani bravery during those tragic days. Tho steoey fire of accusation againt the political office-holder was maintained by his political premies, although it was shewn that a court-martial at the time had acquitted him in his absence 'and nowuhstanding the Chamoei 'oi D-puties, political enemies in. j cmded, had vued overwhelmingly Lts lanh in his ir.teerity. The peuonal attacks, according J to the suiciae notes left by the !. Minister, was responsible for the premature death of his wife, gcad-: gcad-: ed into desperation by what she I cot'.sid.red the injustice of the j charges. Tired with hi i duties and unable to bear up under the- strain upon his sensitive leature, Minister Salengro sat in his apnrtment it. Lilie, cf which he was mayor, turned turn-ed cn the gas, and died. It is a pathetic feature of public ILe that those in it mat allow them selves to be slandered and misnpre.ented by unscrupulovri opponents. op-ponents. A pubiic ffic:r canj not notice every scurrilous attack. The onl defen e available is that which an intelligent, sensible body of cit-:7er.- ffer. a refusal to teiieve every ev-ery idle word of gossip.