Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-14
PRESS STOPPED WEDDING
ITALIAN DIPLoMATIST TALKS
OF ABRUZZI-ELKINS MATCH.
If American Papers Will Make
Amends All Will Go Well,
He Says.

NEW YORK, September IA special
BILE to the New York Herald from Rome
says:
Having had occasion to meet a high
official of the ministry of foreign affairs
yesterday l asked him what credit was to
be given the various reports concerning
the enga cement of Duca Degli .AbruzZi.
The diplomatist replied:
Il believe the marriage will take place.
or, better still, l can say l know that
Duca Desli AbruzZi will marry Miss kath-
crime Elkns The duke is enamOred of
her: in fact. he is madly in love as only an
Italian of noble birth can be in love. All
efforts to break down his attachment have
failed. Neither the hostility of his family
nor the jokes and satire of the newspapers
has i'm any way shaken his attachment.
DC you think that the marriage will
take place at the end of January as has
been announced?' l questioned.
Il know that officers of the navy already
have given a commission to a goldsmith
to prepare a present which the navy will
make to the bridegroom. The duke is a
naval officer who loves his profession.
He is due to remain in command of his
battleshp several months before he can
receive promotion TO rear admiral.
Won't Ask for Leave.
He could obtain leave to get married
and rejoin his vessel but he is too re-
spectful to naval discipline to profit by his
position as a member of the royal family
to ask for leave which would not be ac
corded to another officer. We all are very
fond of this young prince of thirtytive
years, who went to discover the north
pole. who scaled Mount RuenZori who
shows singular aptitude in command of
his vessel. who in recent naval maneuvers
demonstrated that he was a first-claSS
tactician. The nation would overlook any
thing to afford him pleasure, but he has
also to overcome the opposition of his
family and to get the press on his side.
He had it, but the American press dis
tIrbed this understanding.
newspapers in the United States com
menceu to twit the prince, to caricature
him as seeker after dot to make fun
of his passion and even express doubts
concerning II. The Italian colony in
America was offended ard gave express
sion to it's opinion. II sent home clippings
from newspapers containing most brutal
attacks noted with big blue pencil marks.
This caused revulsion of feeling in Italy.
The dukes family and King Victor
Emmanuel. who had become reconciled to
the marriage when he saw that the nation
accepted il and that the duke was really
in love and the family of the young wOm
an worthy, thereupon emphatically re-
fused their consent. A change must
come first from America.
Americas Opinion Wrong.
Public opinion in America must recog-
nize the duke could have found in Europe
perhaps even in Italy, wife infinitely
richer than the young woman he has
chosen Americans who visit Italy
we'll aware of our continental progress.
It, therefore is extraordinary to think
that a section of Americans believes that
for a million dollars one of our princes.
who possesses in his own right two or
three times that sum of money, could
have sold his arms and his heart. The
enlightened opinion of America must, by
striking demonstration. rid this mar
rage of the odious character which the
press ascribed It, This rectification must
be made by the press. Then all will
change.
II do not speak of the marriage. That
will take place l speak of the reception
which is being prepared for the young
woman, whose charm and beauty we adj
mire. She is worthy of entering our
royal family. We do not see any diff
culties. but the royal family is popular.
and Duchess Degli Abruzzi must be pop
ular as WE'LL
My informant was from the commence
ment of the AbruZZi-Elkins episode the
go-between of the minister of foreign af-
fairs and the court