The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-04-09
AS FERRERO SEES US
Impressions Of the Italian His
torian Visiting America.
OUR UNIVERSITIES VERY FINE

america and Europe are not so DIFF
ferent as is generally supposed" This
Is the opinion OF Guglielmo Ferrero.
the Italian historian, recently express
ed at Washington. Europe Is rap
idly becoming Americanized, so to
speak, at least is absorbing American
ideas and practices, and In America
tendencies are apparent which are
leading to an adoption. or, rather. an
absorption, OF European culture. If
for no other reason, the tremendous
immigration Of foreigners into the
United States must tend to this re-
suit. No: could hardly call this n
strict Anglo-Saxon country. Perhaps
! am not competent to judge, for
have seen only New York, Boston and
Washington. They say the west is
pore truly representative Of your
country than the great cities of the
Atlantic states. shall 20 to Chicago
later ON, after staying month in
New York, but my impressions are
that the so much talked of Anglo
Saxon has no very large part in the
makeup of the average American citl-
zen"
MIR. Ferrero has visited Harvard
and Columbia, but Is extremely mod
est in Judging his own ability to com
lnent upon them with understanding.
Your American universities are so
different from ours in Europe and so
complicated" said he to the Washing
ton correspondent of the New York
Post, lit is not easy for foreigner
to understand your systems and meth
DDS. Still. those institutions which
have seen are very fine. The students
here seem perhaps to be less prone to
self eXertion-that Is, at least in the
direction of acquiring knowledge-than
they are with us. Here in the col
leges there Is so much that abstracts,
so many sports. | fear the American
students are not so much in earnest
as are ours. In Italy If one enters
university one Is compelled to work,
but here it Is not so. OF course | have
had no opportunity to become person
ally acquainted with any of your stu
dents. but this is my impression.
have, however. met the members of
the faculty at Harvard. and they have
been very kind and have told me
many interesting things"
Have You seen any of our libra
ries?'
"Ah, the bibliotheque-th libraries!
They are truly wonderful. had
luncheon in the magnificent library Of
congress. 1t is wonderful building,
and the decorations are superb. Ev-
erything is so systematized That is
what We lack in Italy. OF course we
have collections of great antiquity. OF
far more value from historical
Our manuscripts and an
cient documents are priceless compared
with your collections, but we have not
the system, the organization of the
library, as see 1t here in Washington.
THAT is tine library they have in
Boston. 1t Is almost equal To the one
here in Washington. And in New
York | saw Il stupendous building in
the process Of construction 10 be dedi-
Gated To the same purpose. 1t is i'm
possible for me 20 express the praise
would of these Institutions. They are
the finest things have seen in Amer
lea. We in Europe might do well TO
copy your American enterprise in this
When | think of the won
ders | have seen can compare this
library of congress only to the ancient
library of Alexandria"
Mr.. Ferrero is man of thirty-six
years although he appears to be some
what oder. Tall ard slight and learn
ed loob ing after continental rather
than an American type. he might be
taken in the United States for any
thing rather than what he is. He was
invited to the United States by Baron
Mayor dies Planches, Italian ambassa-
dor and dean of the diplomatic corps
in Washington. at the suggestion OF
President Roosevelt, who expressed
himself as DESTROYS OF meeting this his
torian. whose works he has read Mr..
Ferrero and his wife spent two days
as guests at the White House.
Mr.. Ferrero has expressed himself
OF the opinion that history should be
written by live politicians, by men
who have had practical experience in
legislative or executive government and
who can speak with authority on their
subject. He says too much history Is
written by professors isolated from
the world in their libraries.
Mr.. Ferrero shook his head sadly
when asked what he thought Of the
president in his daily life. HE is al
ways on the CO." was his only an
swer. THAT Is the strenuous life,'
suppose. but II he goes on all the
time the way he did those two days
! dealt see how he stands IT, Ir
would kin any ordinary man.
Il greatly desire 10 become familiar
With the history OF the United States.
Il is not generally studied In Europe,
md | myself AM decidedly ignorant
II past events IN this part OF the
world. but I think your history may
be important. especially the part re-
ating To the period between your war
" Independence aud the civil war.
Wy time In this country Is so limited.