▁a ▁quarter master ▁in ▁the ▁eight ▁cu ir ass ier , ▁before ▁becoming ▁flag ▁car rier ▁for ▁General ▁Charles ▁Den is ▁Bour b aki . ▁After ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Franco - Pr uss ian ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁an ▁att ache ▁in ▁the ▁emb ass y ▁in ▁London ▁for ▁a ▁year . ▁Return ing ▁to ▁France ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 , ▁he ▁under to ok ▁studies ▁in ▁chem istry ▁in ▁the ▁labor atory ▁of ▁Louis ▁P aste ur . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁he ▁worked ▁on ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁explos ives ▁and ▁chemical ▁weapons . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁council man ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁arr ondissement ▁of ▁Paris . ▁From ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁he ▁represented ▁Paris ▁in ▁the ▁French ▁National ▁Assembly . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁principal ▁sp okes man ▁of ▁the ▁Catholic ▁party ▁def ending ▁the ▁religious ▁educational ▁libert ies ▁and ▁con greg ations ▁against ▁the ▁attacks ▁of ▁the ▁administr ations ▁of ▁Pierre ▁Wal deck - R ous seau ▁and ▁É mile ▁Com bes . ▁ ▁Symbol izing ▁the ▁alignment ▁of ▁L ' union ▁sacr ée , ▁he ▁was ▁Minister ▁of ▁State ▁in ▁Arist ide ▁B ri and ' s ▁fourth ▁administration ▁from ▁ 2 9 ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁to ▁ 1 2 ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁and ▁then ▁under - secret ary ▁for ▁foreign ▁policy ▁matters ▁responsible ▁for ▁dealing