Clemenceau, the Man and His Time
By . New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company. 1919. 8vo, xiv+338 pp. $2.50.
THIS is the life of a great man, but not a great life. The time has not yet come for a real biography of Clemenceau. What we have here is a graphic sketch, a faithful study, and an honest portrait as far as it goes; interesting, moreover, and growing in interest, until we are shown in a mighty crisis how the hour and the man of the hour meet.
There is, perhaps, too much of the author, Mr. Hyndman, and not so much as we might wish of Clemenceau: an excessive emphasis on Socialism, a somewhat unnecessary reiteration of the reasons why the ‘Tiger’ has never been a Socialist. But the author is honest. He does not conceal the fact that, in the dark days of 1917, the French Socialists cared for party more than country, and voted against the man who was to save the cause of civilization.
When Clemenceau came into power in 1917, the fortunes of France were at the lowest ebb. The foes without were not more dangerous than the foes within. Moreover, the foes within were intrenched in such high places that no statesman dared to touch them.
Danger, however, meant nothing to the ‘Grand Young Man of France.’ This breaker-up of endless cabinets proceeded to build a cabinet In perform what appeared ahopeless task. A few months after Clemenceau was asked by Poincare to form a cabinet, Malvy was an exile in disgrace, Caillaux in prison, Bolo bad been placed against a wall and shot, and the French nation was itself again. To all questions he had but one answer, ‘Je fais la guerre, je fais la guerre.’
All this is generally known, There are two significant features in Clemenceau’s past, however, which are not so widely understood. He was one of those in France who saw clearly many years ago precisely what Germany was plotting; he saw and foretold with entire accuracy what eventually took place. More important still, perhaps, long before the war he was the. unwavering friend of England. It was he, working with Edward VII, who built up the Entente.
The world owes much to Foch. but France owes most to Clemenceau. When victory came, the French Senate unanimously passed this resolution, which was ordered to be placed in a conspicuous position in every town hall in France: —
‘Georges Clemenceau, President of the Council and Minister of War, and Marshal Foch, Goncral-in-Chief of the Allied Armies, have well deserved the gratitude of the country.’
It is to be noticed that the civilian’s name precedes the soldier’s. P. R. F.