Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-11-21
THE TIGER OF FRANCE
Georges CIemenCeau Arrives in
America.
ACCORDED HONOR BY GOVERNMENT
Remarkable Old Statesman Seeks to
Bring The United States to Better
Understanding of the Attitude of
France to Conditions in Europe.

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Bring The United States to Better
Understanding of the Attitude oi
France to Conditions in Europe.
Georges Clemeneeau, wartime pre-
mier of France, came to America Sat-
urday on a mission of peace.
The fiery old tiger earnestly voiced
the purpose of his tour in a brief re-
sponse at the New York City Hall to
an address of welcome by Acting
Mayor Hubert.
I'm the world at this time" he de-
clared, "is a crisis which hasn't been
settled How it will end, nobody
knows If you take the wrong side
we'll, the war counts Tor nothing and
we may have to go to war again. If it
turns out right, and the right thing is
done at the right time, then it will
be the greatest step for the civilization
of mankind"
Clemenceau's idea of the fright
thing is the message he will give to
America in series Of addresses in New
York and in Boston, Chicago, ST. Louis,
Washington and Philadelphia.
Although he came as private cit q.
zen, the famous French statesman WAS
accorded the honors of a diplomat. Red
tape was cut by Washington to facil-
tate his landing. A personal represen-
tative of President Harding-Assistant
Secretary of State Bliss-went down
the bay to welcome. him and invite him
to the White House. Jules J. Jusser-
and, the French ambassador to the
United States, was on hand to put the
stamp of his governments approval on
the visit.
Word From Wilson.
Clemenceau had scarcely set foot on
shore when a telegram from another
famous World war figure was handed
him. The message, from Woodrow
Wilson, read:
ALLOW me to bid you welcome to
America where you will find none but
friends"
1.-The Tiger" who had worked at
Versailles with Wilson for the league
of nations, hastened to scribble this
reply:
Deeply touched by your kind mes
sage. Please accept my kindest re-
CARDS and wishes. Am looking for
ward with great pleasure to seeing you
in Washington"
These were the days serious spots.
For the rest, it was a day of madcap
adventure for the aged statesman, and
he went to it with a vim that belied
his 81 years.
The keen eyes beneath the shaggy
brOws were sparkling and swapping
with excitement when the committee
that went down the bay to greet him
first caught sight of him high up on
the promenade deck of the Paris.
They were still sparkling and snap
ping when he was hustled into Charles
Dana Gibson's home, in East Seventy
third street at nightfall, to rest up for
the morrow.
In his reply to acting Mayor HUI
bert NJ. Clcmcnccau paid tribute to
Americas part in the World war, say
ing:
I'VE have had terrific, the greatest
war that ever was in the wsrld. Men
fell by hundreds of thousands in the
war and we waited very long some
times and we looked around to see if
some help would not come.
Help did come and it came mag
nificcntly, ! must say, in the shape Of
the American soldier. | can speak Of
it as having seen it on the fields, and l
have seen it, too, on the farm. Very
often | met at the peasants homes a
big, huge American with two children
on his knees, telling stories to them
and trying to understand their ques-
tions that the old men and women
should ask about America.
"Of course he did not speak French
more than the other spoke English.
Some way or other they made them
selves understood. Very soon we dis
covered they were all friends.
81 have seen them-the American
in the fight and l have seen them in
the field with the Americans under the
command of General Pershing take
hold marvelously at st. Mihiel, re-
leasing a great many people. When l
arrived the next day. what did I see?
All the American motors in the old
city full Of French women and children
and flowers. These poor people who
had not been allowed to get out of
their dens for three years were rescued
! by the Americans.
Saw All Sides.
And | saw the crowd cry, and laugh
! ing and crying l think I saw once in
while an American soldier get kiss
from some woman. 1t was the next
day after the battle took place, when
all the city had been emptied by the
/ Americans. 1t was q joy not to be for
gotten.
Il saw some times the worst. | have
seen the Americans in the mud of the
trenches for days and days without be-
! ing relieved and looking very sorry,
but the moment l came and brought