The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-06

But ] shall speak in simple al
cause the Americans like what you
call straight talk, friendly because
l feel your country is fundamental.
" friendly to mine,
81 have not prepared and am not
going to prepare any written
speeches. l have all the necessary
facts in my head and will stick to
a few leading propositions.
II will not discuss the policies
OF President Poincare, nor the mat.
ters of reparations and interallied
debts.
viii Discuss Treaty
II will certainly discuss the
treaty of Versailles, the League or
Nations, the condition of Europe,
and the respective attitudes OF
France, England and America.
II believe in the continued unity
of the Allies. They served togeth-
or in the war whose primary object
was to secure pracs. hut peace is
not reailY firmly established and
we can only win peace as We won
tho war- by unity. To fail in the
peaca. to face another general con.
f!lct would DO TO face the dark
chapter of inevitable ruin for mod.
ern civilization
Clemenceau received me in >his
little home on the seashore, 1t
is only a bare fifty feet away from
the surf. Probably no other great
actor in the World War and peace
drama dwells In such isolation and
spartan simplicity.
Clemenceau divides his time
between his little book-crowded
flat in Paris and his home in ma
tive Vendee, three miles from the
nearest omnibus line and q half
mile from the hamlet OF st. Vim
cent-sur-Jard.
In hardly any essential does 1t
differ from the ordinary cottages
Of the Vendean peasants. It's a
one.story brick affair. The brick
is covered with a cement plaster,
which. in turn is whitewashed.
There are four small rooms, q
study and bed room for the mas
tier, a kitchen and dining room.
The bed room is almost monas-
tic In Its bareness-a little single
bed, a .washstand, a mirror before
which to shaye-and that is about
all.
The study has some book-luden
shelves, an old work table, few
comfortable chairs and fire.
place in which, when I was there,
some fresh cut logs were frag-
rantly burning,
The kitchen, over which old
Marie preBides, has those utensils
which constitute the glory and
prides Of European cooks-a COM
plete set Of copper pots and pans,
and everyone Of them shining like
mirror. y
Outside the house there were a
few stunted pines, row Of sun
flowers and some thick clumps OF
heather. The legend is that
Clemenceau came here, chose the
spot, and drew a big circle in the
sand and turf with his cane. Every
three feet a stake was driven and
n wire fence set up. Then the
house was built in the center.
When he received me he was
clothed in a rusty old brown suit
and was wearing brown leather
CATERS. On his head was a bat
tered old hatNand on his hands
were the famous gray gloves
which have become part OF the
modern history Of France.
= The Tiger neither bit, nor snarl'
ed. He was most delightful. most
human. His gray eyes danced with
the true dance OF youth. His smile
revealed a great number of sound
teeth, and they were not store
teeth either. The only time l saw
anything Of the grim Clemeneeau
was when asked him to write and
sign a brief message to the Amerl
can people, which we could repro
duce.
mo, MOI no." he groWled. no
II ever started that, there would
be no end to It"
Then he smiled implshly:
Ask me for nothing and you will
get it,y
Get whatgp / asked.
"Nothing!"
He told me his plans for the trip
TO America: -
II shall sail in November accom-
panied only by my man servant
who knows my ways, my tastes and
desires. Many close friends have
urged me to let them accompany
me, but I have declined. Lam go
ing to take the advice Of American
friends as TO where I shall speak
l. will take in New York aud Chi
cago. That much ] have decided