The sun., 1919-04-05
Rumors Of His Losing His
Grip Are Denied by II. w.
Steed, London Editor.
SEES COLLEAGUES STRAY
Franco Fears Echo of Hymn
of Hate in Germany's Hymn
of Revenge.
BY II. wICKHAM sTEED.
Editor of the London "Times."


10, don Times Seyrice.
Copyright. 1913: oil rights reserved.
PARIS. April For the second time
since the attempt on his life. saw Pre-
mier Clemenceau last night. During
the last fortnight Paris had been full
OF rumors. spread not without guile,
to the effect that the "Old Tiger" was
losing his grip on things and that the
defence Of French rights might need
II be entrusted to more vigorous hands.
found no trace OF any lack OF vi
tally In him nor sign OF faltering. On
the other hand his face wore an ex-
preston of sadness such I had never
noticed before.
A feeling that his colleagues in the
Council OF Four are gong astray, that
their inexplicable reluctance to face res
olutely issues daily growing more acute
IL tending to jeopardize the whole work
OF peace, and his own determination to
do his duty TO his country at all costs
are undoubtedly the chief causes of this
expression which l can only describe as
tragic.
After all NJ. Clemenceau is the only
man in the Council of Four who cannot
by any fight of imagination be accused
OF political self-seeking. Whatever
criticism of him there may be in France
Is due chiefly to the belief that he has
been too remissive rather than too self
sesertive.
Inspired by Patriotism Only.
A deep, touching love of country has
inspired him. Were he once to say that
he can go no further in compromise
either with an intricate theology or
with short sighted opportunism that
would sacrifice the future for sake of
momentary escape from embarrassment
all France would believe him and with
France most men of good will, good
faith, in the allied world.
During the conference Clemenceau and
the French delegates have undoubtedly
made mistakes. but they have not been
the mistakes of cowardlce or pedantry.
Sometimes they have seemed to proceed
from sort OF national shell shock, from
which France has been unquestionably
and comprehensibly suffering. But they
have not been comparable to the mis-
takes committed in other quarters, nor
have they been inspired by the selfish
indifference to small nations and the
funda mental postulates Of European Sc
curity that have been far too apparent
a."-1g the delegations of some OF the
other great Powers.
The mistakes the French Government
has made have been more errors in tao
The main work of the Peace Confer
ence is first OF all to provide Europe
with guarantees against fresh war !.
secondly. to make the world realize that
war can never be a paying proposition.
The French on these two great ques-
lions have consistently maintained the
right policy. They have refused to have
anything to do with the present Bolshe-
visit regime and decline to recognize in
Germany to-day a heart penitent coun-
Try with which 1t is possible to regard
an ordinary safeguard as affordlng COM
plete security. In this attitude they
feel they have not received the support
from their British and American friends
which they have the right to expect
The French have a special reason for
knowing German mentality, and to them
IL is idle to talk Of reducing the physi-
cal bulwarks of French security on the
plea that II Is unwise to encourage any
spirit of revenge in the German heart.
The hymn OF hate which all Germany
chanted with such glee is already In
German hearts finding echo in a hymn
Of revenge.
The apparent inability of British and
American statesmen to realize the neces-
sity of Strengthening French frontiers
In the frmest possible manner has
srieved the French deeply but they are
not without hope that in the course OF
the next few days the demands of
France to be enabled properly to pro-
tect herself against invasion will be
agreed to by the Council of Four whose
proceedings a present are followed with
the most apprehensive anxiety.