Evening star., 1922-09-15
The Visit of Clemenceau.

In the news that NJ. Clemenceau is
to come to the United States in No
vember, unofficlally to argue an ardent
negative to the charge now brought
against France Of mllitarisnn and inn
perialism. and to voice his viewpoint
upon the league of nations-the Amer.
lean public will find large satisfaction.
There exists today in Europe no more
magnetic or exhilarating figure than
the leader of the valiant nation in
her darkest hours, who earned the
love and veneration of his country.
men and the esteem and applause Of
the world. Brilliant in intellect. an
orator and writer of consummate abil.
ity. subtle, worldly.wise and genially
cynical. there burns with consuming
France a fine conviction in the ne
cessity and wisdom of the course that
nation today pursues. His intellectual
qualities. his unique position as mas.
ter statesman today outside of politics
these, combined with the vivid
fame of his persuasions, will render
him the most effective Of protagonists
of these things and more Clemenceau
is to tell us, in the cause he will plead.
OF what he is to say on the score OF
the league of nations no hint has been
forthcoming. But on the subject Of
the land armaments of France 1t has
been indicated that the tenor Of his
argument will follow in a-faeastlre that
OF the report recently made by France
to the league. In that report the
strength Of the French home and CO.
lonlsl forces is announced as $50, 900,
and the cost of their maintenance
money at the current rate Of ex.
change, about s34s.150.O00. With this
are to be compared Great Britain's
army of 215.000 men. which will cost
that nation s272. SOC. 900 in 1923. and our
own army Of about 900. for which
Congress has appropriated $c71 900 900.
! 1t is to meet the charges Of militarism
and extravaganza with which the re-
port and M. Clemenceau are concern
ed. The defense 10 based upon the
absolute necessity of France. eager
for a reduction in her armament bur.
dens. to maintain her present arma-
ment as an essential factor of peace
in Europe. NJ. Clemenceau has served
notice that he will seek to bring home
to the United States his belief that
we have, through our complete with
drawal from any direct participation in
| the maintenance of that peace. mate
rally increased the necessity for pre-
paredness on the part Of France to
meet alone such contingencies as may
arise, and America will listen with an
open mind. For. though the roads
which France and the United States
have elected to travel since the sign.
ing of the armistice in 1918 have at
times been far apart, and though 1t
may have seemed to US as a nation
that the road of Frances choice might
not be the one to lead her to happier
days, there is no fairminded American
who. with the memory of all that binds
America and France to each other. in
his heart is not only ready. but anx-
iously eager, to be shown that our
sister republic, seeing with clear eyes
the journeys end, presses forward
with wisdom and courage toward the
mutual goal of all civilized peoples.
1t M. Clemenceau can show us that
and, bearing in mind the record Of
France. it is in no wise improbable
that he will-he will once more have
splendidly served not only that nation
to which his life's service has been
dedicated, but America as well.