Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-24

revision of the trial. The paper was the
first to publish Emile Zola's famous arr
ticle "J'Accuse!" and C1emenceau. 1t
has been said, supplied the stirring title.
AT the conclusion of the Dreyfus crisis
Clemenceau had become again a potent
factor in national politics.
In 1902, after nearly 10 years Of politi-
cal seclusion, the senatorial constituents
of the Var sent the editor back to Par
lament. There he lent his force to the
maintenance of a rational balance be-
tween the pros and cons Of the tussle
concerning the separation of church
and state.
AS Prime Minister.
ClemenCeau's position in regard to
the church was more emphatically
stated when as prime minister his gov
eminent had to struggle hard with diff
ficulties arising from the application of
the law. Clemenceau, upon the access
sion to the presidency OF M. Fallieres,
had been named minister of the in
terror in the Sarrien cabinet. When
Sarrien resigned a few months later on
account of I'll health Clemenceau be-
came prime minister. Religious Ques-
tons were paralyzing the republic on
its onward course toward social reforms.
Every one trembled at the thought Of
the possible outcome. Clemeneeau was
expected to throw, down the gauntlet to
Catholicism. But he avoided trouble.
Clemenceau'S foreign policy was SIM
pie also. 1t was to keep Germany in
her place in Europe by maintaining
those guarantees of French security
which. he believed, were based on the
complete defensive understanding Of
France with Italy, England and Spain.
On July 90 1909. Clemenceau was de-
feated in q discussion in the Chamber
in which bitter words were exchanged
between him and M. De1casse. He at
once resigned and was succeeded as
premier by M. BRAND, with a recon-
structed cabinet. He returned to his
writing, serving the nation with his pen
until he was called 70 serve 1t again in
the role of statesman.
With the beginning of the World War
in 1914 Clemenceau dedicated his pen
anew to the national interest and be-
came so ursparing in his denunciAtion
of administrative negligence and mill
tary incompetence that his paper
L'Homme Libre, published IN Paris,
was suppressed by the government.
Bordeaux, as incorporating as ever
under the name LHomme EuchAine
Clemenceaus pen spared neither friend
nor foe.
So it was with the popular approval
of all France that THE Tiger" as he
had come to be known because Of his
editorial "savagery," was on November
IL, 1917, summoned by President Pom
care to direct again the French ship of
state and the nations war activities.
Clemenceau, quickly responding, dedi-
Gated himself to the most vigorous pros
ecution of the war. He made frequent
and, for many weeks daily, trips to the
French front to confer with the mill
tary leaders to gain first-hand infor-
nation necessary to the government. to
cheer the troops and to bring back to
the civil population encouragement and
new hope. In these Journeys along the
est danger, and on one occasion mar
rowly missed being killed by an ex-
ploding shell.
Plea for Roosevelt.
In 1917, six months before he be-
came premier for the second time, he
caused considerable comment In Amer
lea by reason of q letter which he, as
editor of L'Homme Euchaine, address,
ed to President Wilson, in which he
urged the Executive to permit Theodore
Roosevelt TO lead an Army division to
France.
There Is OIle uAHlc III ETaIlCe HOW,
he wrote. (which sums up the beauty
of American Intervention. 1t is the
name Of Roosevelt, your predecessor,
even your rival, but with whom there
can now be no other rivalry than
heartening success . 1t Is DOS
sible that your own mind, inclosed in
its austere legal frontiers, which has
been the source of so many noble ac-
tons, has failed to be impressed by
the vital hold which personalities like
Roosevelt have on popular imagination.
I claim for Roosevelt only
what he claims for himself-the right
to appear on the battlefield surrounded
by his comrades
During his term as war premier
Clemenceau found opposition to his
government just as bitter as that which
he directed against his predecessors,
and he was called upon to resign in
June, 1918, after the Germans had
broken through at the Chemin des
Danes, crossed the Marine and were at
Chateau Thierry, 40 miles from Paris.
His answer was: Zone must know what
one wants; when he wants 1t he must
have the courage to say 1t, and, having
said 1t, courage enough to do 1t. I'll
see this war through to q finish"
After Clemenceau refused the Aus
TRAN peace overtures the irate Social
lists demanded. What are your aims?"
Pacing the speakers tribune like a
weather-beaten old skipper on the
bridge of his ship in gale, the premier
waited for the noise to abate.
Victory" he Numbered at his tor
mentors.
Disagrees With Wilson.
Early in the discussion Of the terms
OF peace Clemenceau clashed sharply
with President Wilson, the latter de-
claring that the United States would
not interest itself In any ARRANGEMENT
based upon alliances OF balances of
power, and the French statesman de-
claring that France would not abandon
the good old principles which had his
torically proved of SO great value
Thereafter the two were frequently in
opposition. Concerning President Will
sons FIRST commandment" for "open
covenants openly arrived at" Clemen-
ceau mordantly remarked. "But we
cannot negotiate in the middle Of the
street," For four months he contend
ed against Messrs. Wilson and Lloyd
George to secure for France the pro-
lection afforded by allied occupation
Of the left bank of the Rhine, In the
end winning that essential point.
At the end 1t was Clemenceau's ap-
propriate privilege to preside at the
historic session at which the German
ENJOYS were led in to receive the draft
Of the treaty, and to sign 1t.
With the conclusion of peace his work
once as prime minister for some
months. however. and thus conducted
France through the elector6l acAnnpaitfi
which rave her A new narlinment He