Joseph Marie Auguste Caillaux

Born Mar. 30, 1863, in Le Mans; died Nov. 21, 1944, in Mamers. French politician and state figure; a leader of the Radical Party.

Caillaux served as finance minister in 1899-1902, 1906-09, and 1911 and from December 1913 to March 1914. From 1911 to January 1912 he was prime minister and minister of internal affairs. Caillaux advocated the introduction of a progressive income tax. In foreign policy he favored rapprochement with Germany. During the Agadir Incident of 1911, he worked for a Franco-German compromise agreement. During World War I, Caillaux advocated finding a means of reconciliation with Germany. In December 1917, on the demand of G. Clemenceau, Caillaux was deprived of his immunity as a deputy; he was arrested the following month on a charge of treason. He was tried in 1920. After the amnesty of January 1925 he was elected senator, in which post he served until 1940. In 1925 and 1926, Caillaux was finance minister, and between 1932 and 1940 he was chairman of the financial commission of the Senate.