PAINLEVE, PAUL French politician, was born in Paris on Dec. 5, 1863. He was educated at the t cole Normale Superieure and became a doctor in mathematical science, soon showing himself to be a mathematician of the first rank. He became a professor at the Sorbonne, and was elected a member of the French Academie des Sciences. From the time of the Dreyfus case his interest in politics increased; in 1906 he was elected deputy for Paris as an independent socialist and took a special interest in all questions relating to the army, navy and air force. It was not, however, until the World War that Painleve occupied a political position of any great importance. In Briand's cabinet, formed on Oct. 29, 1915, Painleve became minister of public instruction and of inventions; but finding him self in disagreement with Briand in regard to the conduct of the war, he ceased to be a member of the Briand Government when the latter was reconstructed on Dec. 12, 1916.
In March 1917 Ribot became premier and gave the portfolio of minister of war to Painleve, who proceeded to appoint General Petain in place of General Nivelle as commander-in-chief of the French Army. On the resignation of Ribot, Painleve himself formed a cabinet on Sept. 12, 1917. He would have included the socialists in his government, but owing to their exaggerated de mands he was unable to come to an agreement with them. In addition to being premier, Painleve continued to be minister of war. On Oct. 19, in consequence of a vote of the Chamber, he felt that his majority was insufficient, and therefore resigned; but he at once reconstituted his cabinet, replacing Ribot by Barthou at the ministry for foreign affairs. A few days later, after the Italian disaster at Caporetto, he went to Rapallo at the same time as Lloyd George to meet the Italian premier, Orlando. These dis cussions resulted in the creation of the Supreme Allied Council at Versailles, General Foch being chosen by Painleve as the chief representative of France. On Nov. 13, the Chamber having re fused to postpone questions regarding "defeatism," Painleve resigned and was succeeded by Clemenceau.
After some years of restricted political activity, Painleve with Herriot helped to form the cartel des gauches, which obtained a majority in the general elections of May 11, 1924. The two heads of this group, Herriot and Painleve, became premier and president of the chamber respectively. The radicals now organised a kind of ministerial strike, with the result that Millerand was forced to resign the presidency of the Republic. The attempt to replace him by Painleve failed, and Doumergue was elected president. In April 1925 Herriot was forced to resign after a defeat in the Senate on financial questions and Painleve succeeded him as premier, taking over the portfolio of war as well. Caillaux be came minister of finance, a position of special importance at that time of financial crisis.
in June Painleve went by air to Morocco, where owing to the offensive of Abdel Krim a difficult situation had arisen ; later he sent out Marshal Petain to organise resistance and direct a counter-offensive. In July he found it was impossible to remain in power without the support of a section of the opposition, for the socialists refused to accept the fiscal policy of Caillaux. In October, therefore, with a view to gaining the support of the extreme left, Painleve himself took over the ministry of finance from Caillaux. But on Nov. 21 he found himself with a minority in the chamber owing to his financial proposals. He was suc ceeded as premier by Briand; and, both in that government and in the one formed by Briand in March 1926, Painleve continued to hold the portfolio of War. He was also minister for war in the two successive Poincare cabinets of 1926, and in 1928; and min ister for air in 1930-31 and 1932-33.
Painleve was made a member of the academies of science of France, Bologna, Stockholm and Upsala as well as of the Reale Accademia dei Lincei in Rome. Among his various works on mathematics may be mentioned: Lecons sur le frottement (1895) and Lecons sur la theorie analytique des equations differentielles (1897). He died Oct. 29, 1933. (P. B.)