PREMIER OF FRANCE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 21, 24 July 1918, Page 7

PREMIER OF FRANCE

THANKS TO AUSTRALIANS

PERSONAL VISIT TO. FRONT.

(Commomvealtli Official.—Copyright.) Bth July.

Yesterday there occurred an episode which will be described to Australian children centuries after those who read it to-day are dead and gone. It is one of those rare occasions -where dramatic stories, which grow into v nation's history, ■ haippen also to be literally true. This was the warm-hearted, spontaneous, and generous-minded visit of the Grand Old Man of France, M. Clemenoeau, to the Australian troops at the front after the recent fighting-. -

News of the battle of Hamel happened to reach Paris just at the time when the Dominion Premiers visiting there were sitting round a table in consultation with M. Clemenceau and Mr. Lloyd George. All sent, at once, telegrams of warm congratulation to the Australian troops and commander. The venerable French Premier, >a man upon .whose fiery courage and grand determination France has depended through this year of terrible trial, turning to his secretary, said: "Telegraph them my warmest congratulations." Then, "No. I will go and see them and congratulate them myself." The following Sunday he was true to his word. The Premier of France came from Paris in a motor-car to the Australians'who were concerned in the Hamel fight. The little, white-haired Frenchman, with his genial, laughing face, humorous, kindly eyes, and chin firmer than steel, went amongst our officers and men straightaway, laughing and talking to them in English.

It was not hard to believe that the crumpled grey felt hat, and strong, goocj■hnmoured countenance covered a generous soul, and the strongest, most unswerving determination. This little leader,-78 years old, looked not a. day more than 60. Every week he travels hundreds of miles through the country, visiting the various portions of the French Army. ' He gathered the Australian boys round him in one big semicircle. He did not attempt to hand them oiit cheap and easy flattery. He simply, with quite obvious emotion, told them what he had come from Paris to say on behalf of the French people. Speaking in English, he said:-—

DEFENDING HOMES OF FREE PEOPLE.

"I am glad to be able to speak at least this small amount of English, because it enables me to tell you what all the French' think of you. They expected a good deal of you, because they heard what you had accomplished in the development and creation of your own country. I should not like to say that, they were surprised. You have fulfilled their expectation, which shows the high standard by which they judge you and admire you. Hamel was not a great battle, but in a battle of that scale the individual deeds show clearly, where in a ' great battle they would perforce pass unnoticed. In this battle the Germans saw that they had against them men who came from far away to attest that -wherever a free people lived—in England, France, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada—they were not ready to make way for the rulers of barbarity and brutality, which the Germans are trying to impose on civilisation.

"We have all been fighting the samo battle for freedom. You have all heard the names of these- old battlefields—read them in history. It is a great wonder that'you should be her ■ fighting on these /old battlefields, where we never thought to see you. But you came to protect the work of our fathers, which we wanted to hand down unharmed to our children. These men tried to take it from us. They tried to rob us of' all that is dearest in modern hunian society. But men are the same in Australia, " England, France, Italy, and all countries which are proud of being the home of a free people. That was what made you come—that was what made us greet you when you came. "We knew you woutd fight a real fight, but we did not know that from the very beginning you would astonish' a whole continent by your valour. I have come here for the' simple purpose of seeing the Australians, and telling them this. I am going back to-morrow to say to my countrymen : I have seen the Australians. I looked into their faces, I know they are men who, having fought great battles in the cause of freedom in .the past, will fight alongside us again till the cause of freedom for which we are all fighting is guaranteed for us and our children." MESSAGE TO AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE. "To the. people of Australia, M. Clemenceau sent the following message : T'l send'my heartiest congratulations to the Australian people on the very fine deeds their children have accomplished in this old land, where we never expected to see them in war, but only as visitors and friends in time of peace. We knew ■what they could do, in peace, in their own country. In ■ thetfe dark days, in this old country, they have shown what they can do in war. It gives us^ great pleasure to acknowledge what they have done. I congratulate them with all my heart on what they have accomplished amongst us."