CLEMENCEAU, GEORGES BEN JAMIN EUGENE, French statesman; born at Fe°le, Vendee, Sept. 28, 1841. His early schooling was at Nantes, whence he went to Paris, where he began the study of medicine. His republican opinions led to his suspension from the university, and it was not till after a long interval, during which he visited the United States (1865-1869), that he was able to return and obtain his diploma. The next year he was chosen mayor of the arrondissement of Montmartre, Paris, and during the struggle with the Commune, acted as an intermediary be tween the revolutionists and the Govern ment of the Republic.
Clemenceau's long legislative career be gan in 1871, when he was elected Deputy. For a time he was Member and President of the Municipal Council of Paris, but from 1876 to 1893, his service in the Chamber of Deputies was continuous. There he took his place with the radicals of the extreme left, and rapidly rose to leadership. He was prominent in the overthrow of the ministries of Gambetta (1882), Ferry (1886), Brisson (1886) and Freycinet (1886). Boulanger also found in him a formidable opponent.
The Panama scandal of 1892 cast un favorable reflections on Clemenceau and caused a vigorous and successful cam paign to be waged against his re-election (1893). He then, for a few years, de voted himself entirely to journalism and the editorship of "La Justice," founded by him in 1880. Later (1900-1902) he published "Le Bloc," and after his elec tion to the Senate (1902), edited "L'Au rore" (1903-1907), in which he had ar dently supported the cause of Dreyfus. Later he became the editor of the news paper, "L'Homme Libre." The destroyer of so many ministries consented for the first time to accept a portfolio in March, 1906, whence he be came Minister of the Interior in the Sar rien Cabinet. In October of the same year he was called upon to form the min istry which was to be of such long dura tion. Starting with an anti-clerical and even socialistic platform. Clemenceau soon won other than radical votes by his firmness in upholding the powers of the Government against the demands of any of the classes of the people, as he showed in his handling of the troubles in the wine-growing districts and in the ener getic measures he used to control matters during the mining and other strikes. At
the same time he pushed the reforms that aimed at the relief of the working element of the population, such as the employers' liability law and the bill cre ating old age pensions. The downfall of his ministry occurred unexpectedly July 20, 1909, because of Clemenceau's per sonal attack on Delcasse, former Minis ter of Foreign Affairs.
During the World War, he was an en thusiastic advocate of determined mili tary action and an unsparing critic of timid policies on the part of the govern ment. He exposed the treason of Bolo Pasha, and in November, 1917, suc ceeded Painleve as Premier. At that time Allied prospects were most discour aging, owing to the Russian defection and the preparations by the Germans for the great spring drive of 1918. But be fore long, Clemenceau's indomitable cour age and magnificent energy had stimu lated the national spirit and paved the way for the final victory. When the Ger man cause finally collapsed, Clemenceau was chosen President of the Peace Con ference. While the Conference was in progress, he was shot by an assassin, but the wounds he received were not fatal, and he himself intervened to prevent the death penalty being carried out upon his assailant. In 1920, he was a candidate for President, but withdrew his name before the election. Immediately after ward, Clemenceau started on a journey to Egypt and the Orient, and later went to India.
Clemenceau was the author of several books and plays, the most important of which are the following: "De la gene ration des elements anatomiques"; "La melee sociale" (1894) ; "Le grand Pan" (1895) ; "Les massacres d'Armenie" (1896) ; "Les plus forts" (1898); "Au pied du Sinai" (1898); "L'iniquite" (1899); "Vera la reparation" (1899) ; "Centre in justice" (1900) (the last three republished from "L'Aurore," in defense of Dreyfus) ; "Au fil des fours" (1900) ; "Le voile du bonheur" (1901) ; "Aux embuscades de la vie" (1903) ; "La grande honte" (1903); "Figures de Ven dee" (1903), etc.