The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-06-27
SOMETHING new
UNDER THE SUN
Roman History Finds Something New
in the Stirring Events Just
Before italy Entered the
War
SALANDRA RESPONSIBLE
New Page In History Was Written by
Man Who Was Regarded As
Poor Helpless Sort Of
innocent
IBy Alice Robe, United Press Staff
Cn1-raspOndant

lby Alice Rome, unlteO fTeSS Stdll
Correspondent
ROME. May 10. (By mail to- New
York)-Roman history has reflected
almost every combination of events in
the way of military conquests and of
diplomatic prowess. The more, mod
ern Romans and all Italians have held
the palm Of shrewdness which has
become an established term in the per-
son OF Macshieavelli But in all Ro-
man and Italian history despite the
that theYe is nothing new under the
stirring an event as that which has
just happened in Italy.
The turning of the tide of human
events, the overturning the we'll built
strategic sea walls of political power
by the great wave of public opinion
has no precedent in the history of
the country which has been marked by
so notable rise and fall in history
and literature
And the man who turned the trick"
the man who was being regarded as
somewhat of a poor helpless, honest
sort Of an innocent-who outwittei
them all-Premier Salandra has plar
ed new page in Italian history
Nothing, say the people, could have
saved Italy from the Vaccinations OF
Giolittism, of Won bulowism but this
simple act of resignation which called
the bluff of the progerman intrigant3.
Giolitti, former prime minister who re-
tired from the ministry when he still
controlled the majority of the deputies.
when his men were still in power in
all the provinces-was quite content
to leave Salandra, the honest Sal
andra the good, the unintriguing. In
the seat of the mighty. And when
Giolitti returned to Rome this mem ~
able May to deliver the country into
the hands of the neutralists or rather
the progermans the poor simple man.
beloved of the people but ignored by
politicians, outwitted them all
Had the question of Italy's inter
.vention gone to the house of parlia-
ment, Giolitti with his majority would
have had his way. There was moth
ing to be done-Salandra would have
been the poor weakling the ever
astute Giolitti painted him.
But Salandra reckoned we'll on the
temperament of the Italian people.
This prime minister is psychologist.
The emotional temperament Of the Ital-
fans famed for its sudden moves,
could be depended upon. Salandra re-
signed and all the while the voice OF
the poet was heard in the land.
D'Anunzia with the flowers. of the
oratory had arrived at Rome at that
traditional psychological moment.
There was the memory os-Garibaldi in
his every utterance. And in the hearts
of the people there was the memory Of
that blood of Garibaldi staining the
battle fields Of Argonne. The men,
DRY of that grandson of the great
Garibaldi whose funeral cortege
through the streets of Rome last Janu-
airy. had marked so plainly italian
sympathy in the present conflict, was
smouldering in their very souls.
And so it came, the great wave OF
popular sentiment drowning in it's
immensely all the subtleties of d.
plomacy The rush of public senti-
ment for Intervention is an interest
ing thing, for the people Of Italy did
not. rank and file, want the war at
first.
The moment Salandra resigned and
the poet and uncrowned Poets Of the
people began to cry the minute the
public consciousness was stirred to
what was really happening and the
public eye saw through the machina-
tions at work-the public voice shout
ed at the top of its voice "Vive. la
guerra fVive the war;. Where as
before groups of interventionists hal
been melting interest through the
overworked "reminiscences of unre-
deemed Trieste and Trentinos the
whole of Italy rose with one acclaim
and demanded the war.
The day before Salandra's resigna-
ton, it was no uncommon thing to
hear Let us see what Austria has to
offer before italy is plunged in blood
she'd italians in all walks Of life
we're quite frank to say they only
wanted Italy to act for her best adj
The negotiations between
Germany and Austria were watched
with a surprising astuteness in everS
strata of society. Then came the
crisis and everything was forgotten
but La Patria and national honor.
With exception of some of the ultra
rich upper classes. Italy Is solid for
swayed. no doubt, by large property
interest in Austria and Germany
But the reople-the shop keepers,
the government employees, the stu.
dents. the professors and all are
for the war because they could not at
any price see their country betrayed.
Nothing in the history of the Etern
al City has ever equaled the great
swerving human flag of patriotism
seen in public squares when the kings
refusal to accept Salandra's resigna
ton was announced Nothing 50
sinister in its significance had ever
been seen as that same moving flag
before the king refused to accept the
resignation.
'.vox Poruli''-The voice of the
people has been heard in Rome AMI
in all Italy-as never beforehand the
man who cleyerly turned out this