The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-06-19
Action Arouses Enthusiasm in
Most Democratic Kingdom
in the World.
is MUCH LIKE ROOSEVELT
Was Siekly Child and Brought Him
self to Hardy Manhood by Spartan
Methods-Is Man Of Almost
Universal knowledge and
Interested In Much.

Rome.-Victor Emmanuel III is
monarch of the most democratic king
dom in the world. When the plain
people of Italy finally forced the nation
into war for the unredeemed Italian
lands of Austria, their democratic
king decided to share his soldiers
hardships. His action in taking the
field and turning the scepter tempo
rarily over to his uncle, the duke OF
Genoa, has been received here with
the widest enthusiasm and the house
of Savoy was never more popular than
today.
Their monarch Just suits Italians.
He is more like an American president
than a European king. Italy for the
most part is intensely republican, with
a leaning to socialism 1t is greatly
tinctured with American thought due
to the close connection brought about
by the return of emigrants from the
new world.
His majesty is also republican, with
q drift toward socialism. He has made
three leading socialists senators and
has shown in various ways his deter
mination to solidify his people by ex-
hibiting his tolerance of this most
radical section of his subjects.
He also requested that his name be
included in the list of electors. He
insists that he be considered an ordi-
nary citizen and he never misses re-
cording his ballot at the polls after
the fashion of President Wilson.
In some ways the king resembles
Theodore Roosevelt. He was a sick
ly child, like the colonel, and brought
himself to a hardy manhood by Spar
universal knowledge, interested in ev-
erything, much like the Oyster Bay
leader. He possesses great energy.
His Part in War.
What will the king do in the war?
His part, like the kaiser's, undoubtedly
will consist in going from one part OF
the battle line to the other encourag-
ing his troops. But Victor Emmanuel
possesses too good sense to interfere
with his general STATS in the actual
planning of the campaigns.
He is a gallant horseman and this
is a source of qualification to the Ital-
ians. for their cavalry is not surpassed
anywhere in the world. The Italian
army officers generally bring back the
important prizes in every horse show
they enter.
In person Victor Emmanuel is thor.
oughly Italian. His short, powerful
figure. sweeping mustachios and cast
of c~ountenance are of a general type
often observed throughout Italy. He
is fairer than most Of his people, how
ever, and b~lue-eyed.
Certainly King Victor Emanuel is
the right man in the right place-the
king Italy needs in this supreme mo
ment," said the poet Gabrielle dan
nunZio recently, after an interview
with the monarch.
at would be impossible to imagine
a better informed man." he continued,
ION hearing him speak one might al
most receive the impression at one
moment that he was in Paris convers
ing with a statesman thoroughly con
versant with the subject from the
French viewpoint; at others in Berlin
talking with a minister of the German
emperor, or In London, in Vienna OF
Petrograd. The Balkans and East
ern Mediterranean are SO familiar to
him that he might have lived there ali
his life.
His lucidity of mind is astounding
and only surpassed by his unpreten
tious manner. which puts one com
pletely at ease. There is amazement
that this ruler, in addition to full
filing the duties of state. could alb
sorb so much knowledge aid possess
such a clear and certain perception
of foreign countries, interest and men
Was sickIy Child.
When the king was a child he suf
fered so badly from ricketts, that he