Henry Simon (politician)

Louis Henry Simon was born on 20 May 1874 in Labruguière, Tarn. He was an industrialist and radical socialist. He was elected deputy for the 1st district of Castres, Tarn on 8 May 1910 in the second round. He joined the committees on economies and on Foreign Affairs, Protectorates & Colonies. He was narrowly reelected in the 1914 elections, and joined the committees on Foreign Affairs, Protectorates & Colonies, on Budget and on Education & Fine Arts.^[1] At the start of World War I (1914–18) Simon was called up for military service as a sergeant in the 127th Territorial Infantry Regiment. On 9 February 1915 he was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to the 39th Infantry Regiment.^[1]

Simon was appointed Minister of the Colonies in the second cabinet of Georges Clemenceau, and held office from 16 November 1917 to 18 January 1920. His two main thrusts were to develop the colonial economies and to maintain banks in the colonies with the right of issue.^[1] At the start of March 1919 Simon met Lord Milner of Britain to discuss dividing up the German colonies. He made a request for all of Togo, but settled on just getting Lomé and the railways.^[2][a] He was less willing to cede territory from Cameroon, although he was willing to let the British have all of German Borno.^[2] On the question of land redistribution in the Middle East Simon delegated responsibility to members of a commission.^[3] At the Versailles Peace Conference Simon opposed the new colonies that France had acquired from Germany being administered as mandates.^[4]