M. Klotz, who was Finance Minister in the Clemenceau Cabinet and took an active part in the peace negotiations, tells) a good story in the "Journal" about Mr. W. M. Hughes, the Australian Premier, who, he says,' wad one of the few friends the French had among the British delegates and the only one who would not - give way to Mr. Lloyd George.
Hughes was afraid of nobody, not even President Wilson, who finally objected to sitting at the same table with him. This may have been in consequence of a joke perpetrated by Mr. Hughes during a debate on a mandate for one of the German South Sea colonies. Mr. Hughes having agreed in principle that Australia should have the mandate for the island in question, Mr. Wilson asked Mr. Hughes if he would be disposed to let American missionaries have access to the island. After a slight pause, Mr. Hughes replied:"Yes, certainly, with the greatest pleasure." President Wilson, who was: surprised by this cordiality, made a little speech to Mr. Hughes, thanking him for his kindness and expressing: the conviction that the result would be. satisfactory to the in—habitants of the island. When he had finished, Mr.- Hughes said, with an amiable smile: "Yes, poor people, we must give them something to eat!" He knew, much better than Mr. Wilson, the cannibalistic tastes of the islanders As for the President of the United States, he considered the pleas-entry to be in the worst possible taste and from that time he liked Mr, Hughes less than ever.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.