The Washington times., 1909-01-17
James T. Dunning, Consul
at Milan, Describes Eff
feCtS of Horror.
WONDERFUL WORK
OF GOVERNMENT
Says Appreciation of People for
Prompt Aid From America
Cannot Be Expressed.

James Edmund Dunning. American
consul at Milan, arrived i'm Washington
rooat from italy. which he left after
g. BEE. work for the earthquake dis
IT, uaI been organized. Mr. Cumming
directed part of the work The vice
consul went 20 Nessiua with the first
expedition
That the calamity is having the CT
Icct OF knitting Italy closer together
tnan the various parts of the kingdom
nave been for generations is the belief
of Mr.. Dunning. lie is especially proud
OF the enormous contributions made by
america, and OF the appreciation shown
all over Italy for Americas aid. he
said this morning:
Nessina has constituted for Italy att
once crisis ana an opportunity. The
great obvious fact there at present
aside from the Irlghttul material con-
sequences OF the earthquake itself. is
the instant response of the united
Italian nation TO the needs or. "a siJua-
uon which might have temporarily
crippled the energies of any people.
Cannot Understand.
ii doubt if anyone in America not
intimately familiar with European con-
diuOns, understands the real meaning
or the MessIna disaster 10 a country
like ltaly-comparati speaking. a
small and compact country, and one
where disturbance OF any large char
.acter ln one of its parts is felt with
extraordinary force IN all The others.
Particularly In Italy too the element of
personal ana family affection, always
factor in the social organization UT
that healtlful country, has ia this
catastrophe suffered a shock the cruelty
OF which can scarcely be appreciated by
US.
1T is impossible To compare the Mes
slna earthquake, either IN its physical
or moral effects, 20 anything like that
al san francisco, Tor the reason that
no other event of the kind has had
proporuOnauy SO large an influence up
on the life OF all the pe0ple-Jhat is,
upon people living all over the country
and not alone D. the districts affected
directly by the shocks. Ia Italy the eff
rect upon the nation. as a whole, was
overwhelming. ON the morning after
the newspapers told the story of Mes
siuas the entire country was IN mourn
ing. People I'm the streets spoke OF the
earthquake as "a personal thing. and IL
many cities, especially M ihOs toward
the south. all local activities were sIs-
pended and nothing but the disaster Was
talked or for days.
Response Of Italy.
Meantime. however, Italy vas re-
spending with wonderful vigor and di-
rectness 10 the demand Of the hour. In
Milan alone $4,000 was subscribed in
the office of one newspaper In the first
n
the earthquake was on the street. With
ia forty eight hours that amount had
been more than d1ubled-and this, You
must remember, was lu one city alone.
Not only money, but nurses, doctors.
supplies and medicines were shipped
on special trains within twelve hours.
and from Milan there was sent a detail
OF picked men from the fire department,
under command OF the chief himself
To the needs OF this sudden accession
OF special traffic, the splendid Italian
.Ha I'D #H-H .uH H. HHH
recent years has become one OF the best
IN the world, rose with success that
y as remarkable tribute TO the excel
leuce OF its organization.
No American in a position 10 observe
conditions In Italy Immediately after the
disaster, could have failed 10 be touch
dered 10y the United States the dispatch
which reached the Italian newspapers,
as you know almost at once after the
first story of MesSiua was CabIed 10 this
country The pr0mptitude and proper
tions of the assistance offered certainly
added 90 that feeling of unusual SYM
paily and Iuendliuess entertained in
Italy for America and Americans
Whole Story Not Told
81 hope that some day the whole story
Of how italy gave expression 10 her
noteworthy quality 81 national life iu
the Mes=iua earthquake may be told.
Already IL ls obvious Chat. as J said be-
fore. this Us the great fact of the siJua-
sion apart from the terrible loss OF Mes
siua itself. ] ann very sure that an of
us who not only i5E- Italy for her nat
anal and artistic beauties. but admire
her uuanCct6aIT 0or her accomplishment
OF aI enduring national spirit and eE-
lsteuce DO these last short fGrtv-6ve
years, must be- glad of su opportunity
To testify TO her greatness OF COURAGE
lu this peculiarly critical period.
tbs horror coming al a moment iu
Italian development when the national
D. ....H. g D."