Norwich bulletin., 1922-11-18

The coming of Georges Clemenceau to the United States to speak in per | son to the American people on behalf l of France, has brought out a number | of anecdotes of "the Grand Old Man | of France" who is credited with con- | tributing as much, and perhaps more, | than any other statesman to bring ing about the downfall of Germany in the world war by filling France with the invincible spirit of the conqueror.
 After lifetime of viscissitudes,
 Clemenceau once declared: T am younger now than I was ten years
 ago." He said this even while carry
 ing in his body the bullet of an assas-
 sin, and while suffering from a brok-
 en rib sustained while crossing the
 English Channel.
 Explaining his remark, the former
 Premier declared: "Idleness and old
 age are twin sisters. avoid them. The way to keep young and vigorous is never to let your mind grow inactive and to work, work, work. Preserve strength of mind and you vanqutsh age; that is the secret of perpetual youth.
 "I believe it is weak minded to grow old,'' he told certain members of his suite after his famous anti-bolshevik speech in Strasbourg in 1919. Clemen- ceau's day had been a hard one, with
 many receptions, journeys and discus
 sions of serious diplomatic questions 1 but he appeared at dinner that night ! fresher than many of his young col 1 leagues.
 :! It was some time before this, while | he was on one of his customary 1 jaunts into the country, when he walk | ed 10 or 12 miles without showing
 very great fatigue, that he discov-
 cred his now famous retreat, a two roomed fisherman's hut close to the
 seashore, near Ducon, in Vendee. Bare
 of comforts and conveniences it is just the kind of a shelter the "Tiger" of France would seek for we'll earned rest. It is only short distance from the Premiers birthplace and stands
 almost alone on the barren eands. Of ten he walks to the village where he
 converses with the old town folk, a
 few of whom knew him as a boy.
 | Clemenceau' rigorous life was con-
 tinued even after he accepted Presi-
 dent Poincare's invitation to form 2
 war ministry in 1917, when for the second time became premier of France In civil life he arose with the birds
 and retired often at sunset. A glass o- , milk and few crackers was his usu.
 al repast at 3 a. m., in summer an( 4:30 o'clock in winter. An hour or two later he sat down to a hearty break. fast, the main portion of which wal generally dish of macaroni ant cheese with melted butter. About 12: 8 p. m., he 'indulged in luncheon, a sim ) pie affair of a couple of eggs, per ) haps, and few vegetables. Dinner a p. m.. was practically meatless, con sisting largely of vegetable ant fruits. He eats very slowly. ' 70 . fairs of state often force 3 him to alter his sleeping habi l and there were occaEions when, fo g two and three days at time, the az
 ed premier and minister of war neve f removed his clothing, but caugh Snatches of rest of few minutei = duration on, lounge in his office. 1 8 peacetime, however, Clemenceau. ha a less strenuous program. In summer r as soon as he arises, he takes to hi h | garden in the rear of his town apart n ment, inspecting the flower beds an f the shrubbery and trees, pruning o1 . 1 dead branches and pulling weeds. H o thus finds rest from the turmoil ( A politics and the cares of office.
 Clemenceau, 1t is not general :, known, was formerly a physician. H = came to New York in 1866 but abar o tdoned the practice of medicine to teac l school at Stamford, Conn. He ma, !, ried an American girl in 1869, Mi. r Mary Hummer, of New York. and rt turned to France a few years later.
 He entered the French National A. . sembly in 1871, became president ,e the municipal council of Paris in 1S7 s and was elected to the chamber U deputies in 1876. In 1887 he decline
 an invitation of the President es Franee to form a ministry. In u s general wreck. of French politician - caused by the Panama scandal of 1Se h, he failed of reelection to the ehambe le but in 1902 he wss sent to the Senat er Meanwhile he had fought six or se' m en duels and had won fame as a vi T. riolic writer. From 1906 to 1903 1e was premier. He was an anti-cleric le and fought for the separation of t lg church and state. He led several D IT. litical fights which resulted in t r. downfall of as many ministries
 h, In 1914, at the beginning of the W, st he established in Parts LHoMN