The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-11-20
CLEMENCEAU'S GREETING TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

New York, Nov. 19.-"f you take
the wrong side-well, then the war
amounts to nothing and we may have
TO go to war again." Georges Glenn
enceau, former premier of France,
told throngs who welcomed him at
Battery Park here yesterday shortly
after he landed from France to begin
o lecture tour. Thousands cheered
the French statesman.
Proceeding uptown to the city hall,
where he was officially welcomed by
Acting Mayor Hubert, the war pre-
mier explained dramatically that his
mission was ''to do some service in
letting you know how we Europeans
Judge the American people"
He said the friendly greeting he had
received encouraged him to believe he
would gain access to American minds.
IT must be allowed to speak as a
free man to free men who are not
afraid of anything" said the seTiger."
M. Clemenceau then left for the
home of Charles Dana Gibson to rest
before attending performance IN
the afternoon at the Metropolitan
Opera House TO test the acoustics of
the auditorium in which he will ad-
dress his first American audience next
Tuesday night.
M. C1emenceau paid tribute TO Am
erica's part in the world war, saying:
81 have seen them--the Americans
lin the fight and have seen them in
the field when, under the command OF
General Pershing they took hold
rnarvelously at st. Mihiel, releasing a
great many people. When I arrived
the next day, what did see? All the
American motors in the old city full
of French women and children anG
flowers. These poor people who had
not been allowed to get out of the
dens for three years were rescued BY
the Americans.
"And saw the crowd laughing ane
Il L
an American soldier get kiss from
some woman. It was the next day
after the battle took place when al
of the city had been freed by th'
Americans. It was a joy not to b.
forgotten.
81 saw sometimes the worst. have
seen Americans in the mud of th'
trenches for days and days withou
being relieved and looking very sorry
but the moment / came and brough
them the crosses of war they had s.
1nagnifcently gained. they were al
smiles. We shook hands and W,
spoke of the old place-America wa
the old place. They did not cry, ant
could see the twinkle in their eyes
Of course, they knew I was theirs an,
they knew they were mine. One da,
in the highway I met troop of sol
diers going home, and they made. m
feel sad when they spoke of the oil
country.
"They said, Won't you come t
America some day?' said, NO, ar
too old; I cannot think of going there
/ said, You make me make speeche
and it tires my lungs. have very fey
OF them left, poor, miserable things.
"One morning was in my privat
house bordering on the sea when
received bad news from America.
heard bad names. We were Gale
imperialists and militarists. / thin
that is horrid, and I thought I ha
better go and tell them how thing
happened to pass and show them tha
their argument was not correct.
zone day British newspaper al
rived. 1t contained criticisms from
man of very high standing, -callin
America bad names A that momel
/ decided / had better go to Americ
That is the season why I am here.
II looked at this country from Il
Battery. 1t has not changed as mut
ma it seems The young ladies Loo
exactly the same, and that is the fir
message ] am going to send to n