The Washington herald., 1911-12-17

|
people Of that wonderful peninsula,
from the prince to the peasant, better
| than this young American woman. In
deed, 1t is not too much to say that
the book is Of international impor-
| tance, for the pros and cons" of Italy's
present war are live topics OF the day.
/ and the splendid behavior of the ItaI-
ian troops has surprised most Of US.
| though probably not the fair young au-
thoress. who will make even those Of
! US who thought we knew our Italy we'll
| feel that there Is much yet TO learn
| of the lives of those who are shaping
the destiny of new Italy and who all seem
to be friends of Mrs. Bates -Batcheller.
American readers:
| I'VE have received a telegram from
Signor Crespi inviting US to spend a
day at his villa on the LAX. Of Orta
! l shall surely accept this kind invita-
ton, for ! am much Interested to meet
one of the captains of industry in
! Italy. Signor Crespi has had phe-
nomenal success in his establishing and
building up of cotton manufactures. He
| has built model village for his work
men. and the town where his factories
are situated. and where he has done so
| much for the workingman, is most ap-
| To-day he is a man of great wealth
and l have heard much Of his famous
collection of fifteenth century paintings
in his palace in Milan
We can we'll give some heed to the
following:
Count Cavazza is personally much In
terested in the restoration of the
Church of San Francisco. built bv. Marco
da Brescia in 1916 and one of the first
churches built by the Franciscan order:
even older than that of their rival Flor
ence. Restorations are being carried on
In the Chspels about the church; some
Of them are very elaborate. In one dedi-
Gated to peace, small scenes from the
different capitals of ;he world have been
Capitol dome at Washington seemed to
find itself quite at home even in this
old church in an older world
And again:
People. / think, do not realize how
much the American Of to-day Is essen
TALLY like his Italian contemporary.
The vast immigration that is bringing TO
us men and women from many lands Is
making us in America to a great extent
what the Italians have always been and
certainly area race OF cosmopolites,
with many customs from many sources;
many creeds and much tolerance. broad
minds and alert brains. Italy Is
more like us than any other nation in
the world, anil for this reason: Ever since
the earliest times, Italy has been the
worlds treasure house of soil and cI-
mate. To IL have come the peoples
OF the earth; sometimes as friendly visit
ors. sometimes as conQuering- armies;
but always remaining for a time, leav-
ing only to return. These people have
invariably intermarried with the Italians;
the blue-eyed Norman with the dark
Saracen in Sicily; the proud Austrian
with the brilliant Italian beauty; the
Spaniard with the noblewoman of his
own rank. The vast armies quartered in
various parts, Of the peninsula during
its unparalleled history have brought for
eign customs, new blood, made new. and
often lasting ties in this land of sunshine
with the ultimate result that there are
many strains of blood from many lands
in the veins Of the people to-day called
Italians. All the world knows that
children of mixed races have the finest
beauty and the quickest brains, and I
believe these facts 10 be the reason
largely for the exceptional ,brilliancy of
the past as we'll as the present day Ital-
ian, for II Bologna Of old produced great
men, has It not in our day given US
Carducci and Marconi?''
Another feature of the book is the ex-
ceedingly we'll written appendix. which.
as-the author explains. II seems only
right to include. as her manuscript was
finished before the terrible disaster In
Sicily. Surely we think it most suitable
to record the magnificent help done by
the American Red Cross for her suffer- |
ing sister nation, whose gratitude has
been as full Of heart and sincerity as all
things italian always are; this record |
comes most naturally into a book whose |
aim is to bring the two nations already !
friends, closer together, and President |
Taft's picture as president of the Amer |
ican Red Cross Is most appropriate, while /
hts autograph shows his personal interest |
in the authoress. Washingtonians appre- |
ciate to the fun Miss Mabel Boardman's
splendid and able work for the Red Cross |
Society, and we acclaim Mrs. Bates |
discernment in placing Miss |
Boardman's picture in her really royal |
The young writer sees much
that many pass by, even in her own |
country, evidently. .r ..r- /
OF the present Italian Ambassador and |
Marquise Cusani, Mrs. Barcheller spoke |
in terms of great admiration. They |
are dear and kind friends: am happy to |
say. The Ambassador is a most dis /
tinguished man; an author. great I'm |
guist: besides being an eminent diplo- |
mat" went on Mrs. s-Batcheller. |
"and 1t was to the grandfather OF the |
inarduise that the great Victor Emman- |
uaI II gave the honor and right to use |
the F. E. r. T., the motto OF the royal |
house of Savoy, in the Casati arms The /
maruuIse often wears a beautiful brooch 1
OF the motto In diamonds and only the
Iineal descendants OF the great Casati /
have the right to this. explained the |
Ruthoress. ssss * ~, g.
Nor Is Italy the only field OF Mrs. Bates |
rs =