Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-28
French Premier Under.
stood to Accept President
Wilson's Views Now
HEADS OFF OPPONENTS
Rival Politicians Had Planned
to Use His Former Stand
to Overthrow Him
By WALTER DURANTY
Special Gable 10 Ercning Public Ledger

CoDyrioht. 1918. bv Now ro,h Times %.
Paris, Dec. 2S.--Although President
Wilson's visit and the daily confer.
ences Of leading European statesmen
have attracted the lions share Of pub.
lie interest during the last fortnight
there has been great activity in French
political circles, marked by one event
farreaching. It is no less than the
virtual conversion Of Premier Clemen.
ceau to the support Of the league of
nations proposal with which. it is no
secret he was formerly in scant svm.
pathy.
\ On more than one occasion the Pre-.
mter has referred in speeches taforc
the Chamber to "utopian or over.
idealistic schemes for the rege. GRAFTON
of humanity" but it is now under.
stood that he has accepted the Driu.
ciple of world reform on lines approx.
mating President Wilson's views Of the
subject
Great as has been the Presidents
part in bringing about ClemenCeau's
change OF attitude, the internal 10
1ttical situation has been hardly less
potent influence.
Although the Premier's position as
"Pere la Nictoire" has made him un.
assailable in the esteem of the country.
as whole, and the army TO boot. he
has been faced. ever since he aCcedad
to power, BY considerable opposition in
the Chamber. In addition to the omen
hostility of the larger Socialist group.
which has voted against him on every
occasion. Clemenceau has had to
reckon with the radical Socialists
many OF whom still feel a sympa thv
which they dare not admit for their
old leader Caillaux.
Faces Intrigues by Rivals
Many, also, would be ready TO ;oIn
In an attack on the Government
should really favorably occasion ire.
sent itself. Behind this oppositior
latent or open, there are intriguss of
rival politicians dasirous Of obtaining
or regaining power.
For several weeks there have hsnr
humors that BRAND was about TO he
offered a post in the cabinet and the
ex-Premier's friends have gone so far
as to suggest that an even higher
position might be in store for him
I'm the not far distant future.
Meanwhile the Socialists. having
failed in an attempt to create DIFF
hculties between Clemenceau and VIII
son, raised a new outcry on the sub.
1ect or rehabilitation, which they
declared was being carried out with
culpable slowness and difficulty. II
was natural for the masses. both OF
the soldiers and the population, to
/ take the view that the armistice was
virtually the same as peace.
There certainly has been a wide
spread feeling that the rehabilitation
might proceed more rapidly. Well.
Informed political opinion regarded
Clemenceau's position as somewhat
weakened by the slowness of demobil-
ization, though 1t is doubtful whether
any one who has studied the matter
carefully imagines for a moment that
the Government could act otherwise
In the present juncture. The embold.
ened opposition prepared for a more
determined attack. the basis of which
was to be the Premier's refusal to
accept the league OF nations.
BRAND FavOrs League
1t was understood that BRAND would
come out strongly for the proiect.
whose popularity with the country
President Wilson's visit has thrown
into somewhat unexpected relief-a
popularity based on a universal feel.
Ing that it really offered a definite
hope OF avoiding future wars.
But the promoters of the scheme
reckoned without the astuteness OF
the old tiger, who was fully as quick
TO realize the trend Of popular opin.
ion as themselves. He has cut the
ground from under their feet by de.
claring his adherence TO Wilson's pro.
posals, and the satisfaction which both
he and the President have expressed
as the result OF their conferences and
the accord OF views reached thereby
has strengthened his position still fur.
ther.