The farmer and mechanic., 1915-09-14
NATION TAKES GOOD
CARE OF ITS TROOPS
Personal Interest Manifested In
Soldiers Results In Almost
Perfect Discipline; Food Is
Excellent and Plentiful As
Well As Perfectly Cooked By
Experts
Cry the Associated Press.)

The italian Front in Trentino Sept.
IA foreigner visiting the Italian
army along any of the fronts is
quickly impressed with the comerad
. erie existing between officers and
men.
King Victor Emmanuel is perhaps,
the most affable Of all the Italian Of
ficers toward the soldiers. The king
uses a highpowered motor car in his
almost constant tours along the fronts,
but he always finds time to chat with
groups of soldiers, speaking in the
native dialect of the men ne is talking
to-
This friendly spirit between officers
and men has actually made for excel
lent discipline and bravery. military
experts state. And for this reason all
attempts to enforce the German sys-
tenn of discipline in the Italian army
have been abandoned
With the exception of the British
fighting in France, it is said no other
ration takes as good care of it's
soldiers as Italy. The food is excel
lent and plentiful. The rations are
cooked twice a day and served hot,
regardless of whether the soldiers are
in the trenches, on the reserve firing
line, or on the highest mountain.
Hospitals Erected.
The first aid corps provides ade-
Ouate facilities for handling the
wounded along the firing line while
numerous field hospitals are located
convenient to the fronts. Several
large base hospitals have been
esta bliShed
In addition there are numerous re-
liefs carried on by private and public
subscription. Chief among these are
the first aid restaurants" which were
established by an English worua H.
Signora HULA h-S Scalfi widow Of a
former prominent officer of the Italian
Alpino, and Signora Bagnani, who was
Miss Dewar of Hamilton, Ontario
Some of these restaurants are set W
close TO the firing lines Others are
located at bases or main railroad sta
tions. In addition to giving regular
meals the restaurants supply the sold
iers with delicacies not provided fol
in the army rations.
Along the front in the Trentino one
rises rapidly from the heat of the
valleys to the sharp cold of the Al
pine heights. While the army in tht
lower sections has been digging it
self in the troops holding the noun
tain positions have literally BLASTED
themselves in. In the heights tn,
soldiers living quarters are cut il
the solid rock. In many cases theS
caves are lined with planks and al
are heated by firepIaces.
IN the tauOfe, north or COrtna ant
near the Marmolata mountain, whicl
rises nearly 1900 feet, there is
fair sized town consisting entirely 0
entertainments, or duEouts and caves
All OF the caves are furnished wit
rough furniture made on the Spo
The officers have beds of moss. Tn
walls are covered with military cloak
and festooned with ivy and fir cone.
Grand Hotel Mortar
no tN Ia off
mess is Chiselled Grand Hot5
Mortar" In the center of the hotel
hangs a cage containing canar
captured in an Austrian trench Out
side of the mess hall, and at variou
places in the Cave-town life sized an
heroic busts of King Victor have bee
carved in the rock faces.
chapel has been cut in one sic
of n large spire of rock where it
sheltered from the enemy's shells.
portable altar has been erected ar
the chapel with pieces of brigl
quartz, scraps of colored cloth al
the silver and gold paper from Gig;
and cigarette packages.
In another part of the settlement
open space is reserved for anus
mCnts. Here plays are given wi
officers and men minGling in the a
dience or games are held except du
ing heavy fighting.
museum, containing objects Secu
ed during the campaign, was start
IN a corner of the amusement SQul
The chief display is a mandolin viii
was owned by a young Italian soldi