Evening star., 1918-02-17

teNal.
She is suffering, of course. She has
suffered out of proportion to the suf-
fe~ing of her allies. Her losses have
been relatively greater, both in men
and money. than those of Great
Britain. One does not meet q French
NAH or Frenchwoman who is not
mourning the loss of some dear one.
That she is relatively stronger than
the antagonist is certain. Germany
ard Austria have been hit far harder
than the allies have.
Had Become Discouraged.
France had become discouraged when
Cfemenceau became premier. Her sue
cessiye governments had not governed.
They had wabbled and compromised.
TAey feared France. Millerand and
t4ne hold with the strong hand. Every
ohe knows that defeatist maneuvers
wefe defeated this spring only by the
entrance of the United States into the
war. Painleve came to power and
melted weekly. Then Clemenceau be-
came prime minister.
q do not want to take the power"
he said to his intimateS. But l have
has dared take il. / am not afraid
ter take whatever any one else has
taken"
Hhere will be a finish of the censor
ship, said every one. Clemenceau has
always fought the censorship. No one
h@e been SO unsparing as this veteran
editor in showing up the follies and
Weakness of the censor. He par
t1culariy liked to show that the censor
was chiefly useful in protecting incom-
petents in Office But Clemenceau did
not lesson the burden of the censor
e1tp. 1t may be little easier, per-
haps-a very little-but the Tightening
YVxI ef ha w m
, Clemenceau and Caillaux.
NFou are not consistent" one of his
meeting of a state commission. You
must not take offense at US. We are
only doing what you taught us to do"
sYou are right" responded NJ.
Clemenceau. Il am entirely in accord
with you I think just as you do to-
day
@But-- said the follower.
.sBut must act differently" said NJ.
Ciemenceau, quite unahashed. Il re-
gret the necessity. But 1 must do my
work. and therefore / act against my
own convictions"
# made a tremendous hit with the
French people. They not only liked
the wit. but they liked the practicality
and the candor- No politician ever
Td91ly fools the people. They may
afQuiesce. but they know all the time
tilt the politician is not telling the
tNth. Clemenceau is brutal about it.
H3 will not lie, he says, and he has
at least not been caught in a lie as
Jet
Before he came into power Clemen-
eeau had been engaged in an acrimo-
NOUS debate with NJ. Cailiaux. the So
cialist leader. For three years every
one has spoken of Caillaux under the
n~
mission to South America to get him
ont of the country. Another seriously
considered giving him a place in the
cabinet He has always had at least
ON place in preceding cabinets. in the
popular belief. He has been above the
Law. No one dared touch him. although
he was generally reputed to be the
leader of the defeatists in France.
Would Be Revolution.
-rhere would be a revolution" peo-
pie Whispered. "Caillaux is too
strong"
Elemenceau smashed that myth and
smashed a man with it. Whatever may
bEthe result of the trial on charges of
t3eason which Caiilaux is now facing,
C4illaux is done for as a danger. His
own party refused to help pay the costs
of his trial or to send out Caillaux's s
d&sense in pamphlet form at the party
ce1sively.
He tried to sidetrack the examination
ln8o Caillaux by attacking the premier.
He is nice. spicy, doubie-handed at
t1eker. Caillaux is. He shouted and
want about Clemenceau. He became
sarcastic and brutal. Clemenceau just
G1pned. He listened and listened and
Just grinned. He indicated that when
Ct9menceau was put on trial-very well.
then. He would prepare defense For
INA por,r nf, f,yp
trial.
He Has Much Nerve
There is not another French politician
Who has that much cold nerve. Glenn
enceau has increased the taxes and TAX
Ell away Iuxuries, SO that now there is
NO candy to be had and no essence. and
one pays q tax on every meal in a good
restaurant and on every bill of more
flfan $50 The supply of bread has been
French. heart have survived until now
upder various strange and somewhat
distastefu1 forms Now they have gone
CHmenceau did it.
t0kbe protected by the political game
Law. He had not been an efficient gen
eral. Nevertheless, he was member of
= political group. and safe, Clemenceau
called him back. 1t is too early as yet
tQguess at what will happen to Sarrail
A place may be found for him where he
c8 be of real value. No politician has
yipped. The hierarchy of the air, by
wlsfch pilots with pulls remained in the
safe retirement of the training camps
ahd only pulI-less pilots were forced tc
20 to the front, has been broken UP.
G1emenceau has reduced the age limit
bX a selective plan. so that men OIL
real value may be kept at the front II
tlRir superiors make themselves per-
sonaIly responsible. 1t means young
ete and more vigorous army, and also
means a combing out of the retreats OF
embusques at the rear He discovered
the other day that the Invaiides is prac-