Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III A TIGER IN THE PATH: CLEMENCEAU Dec. 15. The President matched his wit with Clemen- ceau for the first time this evening. It was their first real meeting, for there had been no opportunity to talk at the Dauphine station or at the Elysee Palace dejeuner. But tonight the old tiger bearded the new-come lion in his den. He went to the Murat palace at six and was alone with the President for an hour. Even the repose of Sunday did not deter the call, which was desired on both sides, to take soundings and see what lies ahead. The President had been to church twice, and then, after a ride in the Bois with Mrs. Wilson he awaited his opening encounter with the tiger. Clemenceau's sharp tongue has been wagging quite freely about Wilson's idealism, and the President is aware of it. It was Clemenceau who said of the President's Fourteen Points: "Even the Bon Dieu got along with Ten Commandments." Clemenceau's prestige has been very high until now, but with the coming of Wilson this prestige may be challenged. The French credit Clemenceau and Foch with winning the war, and Clemenceau is very strong in the Chamber, except with the socialists. But the tremendous popular demonstration to Wilson yesterday has suddenly disclosed thatthere are other popular idols besides Clemenceau and Foch, and that the new ideals, the new freedom, and saving the world for democracy, have made a deep appeal to the French masses. The President himself counts on this to win his case, and his advisers are of the same view. One of the American peace delegates said this afternoon: "That roar of French enthusiasm for the President was the most significant thing that has occurred since we arrived. It will set certain French leaders to thinking, and put them on their guard, for any one who knows...