Evening star., 1922-11-24
TIGER" Of FRANCE
LASHES BACK AT
SENATORIAL CRITICS
Hitchcock Dared to Go to
Paris and Investigate "Mili-
tarist" Record.
SAYS BORAH Is WRONG
on CAUSES OF WAR
Clemenceau Denies Black Troops
Remain on German
Territory.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BOSTON, November c4-The Tiger
of France dashed back at his Senate
critics today in his first American in
terview, granted to the Associated
Press. replying particularly to the
criticisms of Senators Hitchcock and
Borah.
Senator Hitchcock calls me mill
7arist." Clemenceau, French war pre-
Inier, said. well I am glad to tell
Mr.. Hitchcock he is in the Senate. ow-
ing to tho vote, for only few more
days. When he is free, 1 dare him to
go to France and learn the facts"
Answering Senator Hitchcock's de-
1nand that he explain why France in
sisted on using black troops in her
army of occupation. the Tiger de-
Clared that Hitchcock had been mis-
led by German propaganda, and that
today there was not single black
soldier on German territory.
To Senator Borah's recent assertion
that Clemenceau was primarily re-
sponsible for conditions in Europe
because of his great influence In the
drafting of the Versailles treaty, the
aged statesman declared his situation
was particularly distressing, since
criticized "for having asked from the
Germans less than l ought to.
To Make Himself Clear.
When he was told that some of the
senator's at Washington had said they
we're not able to understand clearly
from his speeches just what he wanted
of America, the Tiger said with a
sleam in his eyes he thought they
will know after his address this aft
crnoon in fremont Temple-the sec
cnd formal speech of his American
tour.
clemenceau received his interview
erS in his room at the home of +. L.
IIigginson, jr., where he is staying
while in this city. He wore his usual
gray cutaway suit and his gray skull
cap was perched on his bald head.
Seating himself in Il huge chair he
said: Now put any questions YOU
like and will answer them. ~ ?
The interviewers went at once to
the subject of the Washington criti-
cisms. Clemenceau smiled and
shrugged.
cuss with official people in America"
he said But l have said 1 will an
swer all, so | must answer
Il am glad to tell Mr.. Hitchcock, as he
is in the Senate only for few days,
owing to the vote" he began, refer
ring to the Nebraskan's recent defeat
for reelection. "Therefore. l think
I'll be excused if I dare him to go to
Europe. and if he finds any one in
my country or elsewhere who says l
have been militarist, then I'll own
II have suffered much from 1871 to
1917 for not being a militarist.
turned militarist when the war broke
out-before. l had been militarist to
the extent of extending the length of
military service in France.
But that wasn't too bad, if it al
lowed us to oppose the German front
until England and America appeared"
No Black Troops in Area.
Asked to answer Hitchcock's ques-
1ion about black troops, the Tiger
said Bon" and waded in.
I'm the first place there are no
black troops of occupation in the
area of occupation of the enemy. In
the second place. j have seen black
american troops at the front, and
they stood the fire with bravery, too.
"Of course, this has nothing to do
with the question of whether We are
militarists or not. 1t is an attempt
of German propaganda to oppose
France and America and obscure
what is really the great question.
The Germans and all of our foes
men and 100000 black men fell gal
lantly fighting on the frontiers of
liberty as ex-President Wilson called
them. We are not going to deny
them a place in history.
Now those black soldiers are al
ways more or less occupying towns in
France. and always got along per-
fectly with the white French people.
Even, I should say. their discipline is
stricter than any white troops.
.'Sn-I have seen of German
propaganda which l suppose inspired
Mr.. Hitchcocks sayings, and l can
plainly say they are SO many lies.
The day before l left Paris l heard
to prove We were militaristic peo-
pie So I asked the official people to
give me plain information.
"The answer was that there had
heen only one established case of a
Senegalese having mistreated a Ger
man woman. He was cashiered and
sentenced by military tribunal
relief for White Troops.
The reason black troops were sent
into the occupation zone at first. Gle
menceau said. was to provide few
months of home leave for the white
troops that had stood the fire for
years until America could come, and
were rather exhausted"
we couldn't foresee," he said that
II would be more objectionable to the
Germans than to the French, in whose
towns they had been garrisoned.
When we learned that it was they
were withdrawn.
The German objection was more
of a surprise, because they employed
black troops, and if they did not
bring them to the front it was be-.
cause no means of bringing them
could be found They did find means
to invade Belgian kongo with blacks"
Then the Tiger came to Senator Bo-
Iah's statement that he (Clemenceau)
was responsible for most of Europe's
woes. because of the treaty of YER
sailles.
Declaring that the criticism was sx-
actly the opposite in his own country.
where he was assailed for not de.
manding enough. he continued:
Let those who say I asked too
much go to Europe-let them bring
their German friends, and let ussset-
tic it there where it can be seen.
Moreover, il too much was asked
at Versailles. which l do not believe,
yet 81 per cent of it has been taken
out without my assent and out of my
power"
Ending the interview, Clemehceau
declared his reception in America
lad been greater than was entitled
TO expect"
Il was received as a friend. as a
lConlinued on Page :. Col1mn 5.5 =