Evening journal., 1914-07-28
CLENENSEAU HIGH
IN French affairs
Friends in Senate Know Him
As Fox" and
Tiger"
STILL FIGHTING
AT AGE OF 73
by WILLIAM PHILIP snTMs

UNITED Press Paris Correspondent
PARIS, July 2s-George Clemen-
seau. for years a school teacher in
the United States and who took an
American wife there, is today the
most talked Of man in France
Is he. or is he not. as charged by
Guy de Cassadnac, Imperialist leader
and editor, the chief Of a conspiracy
to force President Raymond Poin-
care to resign? VIII he, already
known as the President Maker add
10 his nickname that of President
Rreaker?"
In the Senate, Of which Clemenseau
is q member, they call him both the
"Fox" and the Tiger" as he is
credited with having the cunning of
the one and the fighting qualities Of
the other. They also call him the
Bulldog because Of his tenacity His
entire career has been one of fighting,
save during the period when he was
In the United States, beginning with
the year 1866. Then he taught school
at a girls college at Stanford, n. Y.
--and courted the young American
woman who became his wife. She
was Miss Mary Plummer. He ceased
| lighting for a time 70 make love, then.
! like the warriors of old, went right
on with his battles. He is still Tight
Wing, though 7S years old.
Born in 1S41. in the reign of louis
! Philippe. he became a fighting Repub-
lican in the Third Napoleon's reign
As a boy he preached republicanism
to the peasants about his birthplace
| In the Vendee. southwestern France,
a royalist stronghold He was greet
ed with pitchforks. After studying
medicine he went to England, then
to the United States, where he visited
every city Of importance and studied
American institutions. He has been
Americas strong admirer ever since.
He speaks English auently
At thirty Clemenseau was the
mayor of Montmarte during the
/ Commune Then he went to the
Il Chamber Of Deputies where, as an
/ ardent anti-imperialist, he fought the
/ great Premier Jules Ferry because OF
1 The latter's "blunders' in French
1 Cochin China He fought Frances
participation in England's Egyptian
! campaign, causing the voters to ac-
cuse. him of taking British gold for
letting England have a free hand.
The more sensible Of even his bitter
est enemies knew such a charge to be
without foundation. but he lost his
seat in the Chamber Just the same
For ten years Clemenceau's ad-
1erssries thought him politically
dead. He was merely preparing fol
his re-entry into the arena. IL
founded two or three newspapers
wrote several hooks. from which ht
has since made plays and operas
proving his versatility; then. quite
suddenly came back, this time in the
Senate where he continued TO hght
nv word Of mouth the things he had
attacked with his pen.
Clemenceau settled the vine riots
in Southern France, averting what
promised to be a bloody civil war
The fierce Marcellin Albert, leader
NJ the wine-growers. preaching seces-
sion from the roof of his house was
the idol of his followers. They swort
bv him. But one day he went "a
Paris to beard the tiger Clemen'
cesu. in his den. When he emerged
II was he who had been bearded; the
world considered him a bought
man" After Clemenceau had lee
tured the big Marcellin gently as
father might advise a wayward son
he innocently said
Now, Marcellin, you probably nee'
a little money for your return tril
10 the Var" The threatened civi
war was done for.
Clemenceau was Prime Minister a
the time of the Cassablanoa AFFAIR be
tween France and Germany, whel
war for a time seemed inevitable
Germany had insisted upon an apol
ogy from France. and France,
| Germany and everybody knew, wa
not in a position for war. But tn
determined Clemenceau sent bac'
this message;
"Teu them there will be no apol
ogv." And there was none.
Today Clemenceau is regarded a
the most powerful figure in tn
French parliament He Yields a
enormous influence over both I'll
Senate and the Chamber and FOR ina
reason is called "the President
maker" He has never met with
serious defeat in politics. save once
and President Poincare administers
that. People say Clemenceau wi
never forgive him for winning tn
Presidency over the Clemenceau car
didate. NJ. Pans. His enemies
a step further, declaring he will nc
he satisfied until he forces the Pres
dent from Office. Whether true {
false these charges have been mad
openly for the past year. Clemer
ceau has never denied them. He neve
denies anything. however. eve
stories which are manifestly libels
this is part Of his bigness. Just a
the bad bov Of the village Is accuse
Of having hurled the stone wheneve
there is a broken window, thous
siok-abed he might have been at III
time. Clemenceau has everything lai
at his door.
"They" claim that Clemencea
made CASTOR Doumergue Prime Mir
ister. that he unmade him al mC
ment when he thought Poincar
would be most embarrassed. "They
say he was responsible for Rene V
viana's first failure in forming a mil
istry TO succeed Doumergue. and thu
Il successively he caused five oth'
statesmen 10 refuse the task. tt
startling fall of the Alexandra Rib
| cabinet at its first contact with N
| Chamber Of Deputies Is blamed q
| 10 humilate President Pcincare ar