The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-09-17
King Of Italy Chats With Men On
The Battle Front

Italian army along any of the fronts
Is quickly impressed with the cam
eraderie existing between Officers ana
men. King Victor Emmanuel Is, per-
haps. the most affable of all the ltal-
ian officers toward the soldiers. The
king uses a high powered motor car
i'm his almost constant tours along the
fronts, but he always finds time TO
chat with groups OF soldiers, speaking
I'm the native dialect OF the men he
is talking to. This friendly spirit be-
tween officers and men has actually
made for excellent discipline and
bravery. military experts state. And
for this reason all attempts to en-
force the German system of disci-
pline In the Italian army have been
abandoned.
Takes Good Care Of Soldiers.
With the exception OF the British
fighting in France. II Is said no other
nation takes as good care of its SOL
diers as Italy. The food Is excellent
and plentiful. The rations are cooked
twice a day and served hot, regard
less of whether the soldiers are In
the trenches. on the reserve hiring
line. or on the highest mountain. the
first aid crops provides adequate facil-
tiles for handling the wounded along
the firing line, while numerous field
hospitals are located convenient to
the fronts. Several large base hospi-
tails have been established. In ad-
dition there are numerous reliefs car
ried on by private and public sub
scription. Chief among these are the
first aid restaurants" which were
established by an English woman
Signora Hullah Scalfi. widOy OF a for
mer prominent officer Of the Italian
Alpine. and Signora Bagnani. who was
Miss Dewaro of Hamilton, Ontario
Some OF these restaurants are set up
close TO the firing line. Others arc
located at bases or main railroad sta
tons. In addition to giving regular
meals the restaurants supply the SOL
diers with delicacies not provided for
in the army rations.
Heat Of Valley To Cold.
Along the front i'm the Trentino one
rises rapidly from the heat OF the
valleys TO the sharp cold of the Al
pine heights. While the army I'm the
lower sections has been digging Itself
in the troops holding the mountain
positions have literally blasted them
| selves in. In the heights the soldiers
living quarters are cut In the Solo
| rock. In many cases these caves are
lined with planks and are heated b;
| fireplaces. In the Galore. north o.
| Cortina and near the Marmolatf
mountain. which rises nearly 11,Oo'
! feet. there is fair sized town con
sisting entirely OF entertainments. Of
dugouts and caves. All OF the cave:
are furnished with rough furnitur'
made on the spot The officers have
beds of moss. The walls are covered
with military cloaks and festoonet
with ivy and fir cones. Over the en-
trance to the officers mess is chi
selled Grand Hotel Mortar" In TIT
center of the hotel" hangs a Gag
containing a canary captured in al
Austrian trench. Outside of the mes
hall. and at various places In tn
cave town life sized and heroic bust
of King Victor have been carved II
the rock faces.
Portable Altar Erected.
A chapel has been cut in one sid
of a large spire Of rock where II
sheltered from the enemys shells.
portable altar has been erected an
the soldiers have lined the walls G
the chapel with pieces OF bright quart
scraps of colored cloth and the stiVe
and gold paper from cigar and cigar
cite packages. In another part OF IN
settlement an open space is reserve
. for amusements. Here plays are give
with officers and men mingling
the audience or games are held eS
cept during heavy fighting. museum
containing objects secured during IN
campaign. was started I'm corner
the amusement square. The CHIEF dis
, play Is a mandolin which was owne
2 by young Italian soldier who lo'
his life I'm a desperate hand-to-h nan
encounter with Austrians after "
, latter had tainted the Italians wit
! being an army of "mandaniinists ratf
. er than fighters. On the heights oveI
, looking the Dolomite road there
= much evidence of recent battles
. that section. Many fresh graves bo
e inscriptions indicating that both lta
. ian and Austrian soldiers had BET
h buried in the same spot.
Have Accomplished Much.
The Italian officers have already a.
complished much in transporting lari
n seige guns i'm the mountains. as we
!. as keeping an adequate supply
+, ammunition and food on hand. b
n still greater plans are being made I
r, conducting. the campaign during Q
a winter which begins early in Septer
!. Der I'm that section. On the extrer
e heights sentries have already suffer
n from frost bites, and scouts have fou
q difficulty in traversing the glact
:. SHOWS. A visit to the Isonzo country {
" fers an excellent example of the ef
cient organization of all departments
,e the Italian fighting machine. Not
i worthy engineering feats have be
% performed by Italian engineers wor
,e ing under fire. The work of the col
In missariat, medical and sanitary d
n partments, while not as SNOWY as [
.r accomplishments of the enginee
,e have played an equally important p;
i'm the operations.
10 The Simple Life.
10 From General Cadorna down to
m ordinary private, one Is everywh'
r impressed with the simple, yet blu
ST ness like manner of operations. Abt
the main headquarters there is
ar rafting Of swords, no incessant clio
g. ing Of heels. no great force OF guar
at and sentries, no messengers DASH
H. up on horseback or motor cycle
/. | 0rdars are trauqmittpd nv talaDhO