South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-06-16
RISE Of CADORNA
ONE Of RAP ID|TY
SAYS B|OGRAP Her
Knew Every Path, Village and
MuIetraCk Along Eastern
Frontier-IS One of ItaIy'S
Greatest Military Men.

ROME. June 16.-When Lieut.. Gen.
Luigi Cadorna. chief Of the Italian
general STAFF. was 10 years old ne en-
tered the military college OF Milan.
His distinguished father, Gen. Count
Raffaele Cadorna thought 1t none too
young but the son often recalls that
one of the cells set apart for young
offenders was so cold that in the Win
ter months the soup which was the
only sustenance OF the punished often
froZe.
AT the age of Is he was transferred
10 the military academy of Turin
which he left three years later. pass
ing out al the top of the class.
When his father. as commander of
the Florence division, began the his
tOrical expedition on Rome, he was
attached TO his staff In 1875 he was
promoted captain. and from that year
dates the special work with which he
has since been identified.
He published a series of mono
graphs on the geographical features
of the Italian frontier which are still
the standard works for military OFF,
GERS working for STAFF appointments.
Was ON PianeIli's Staff.
Later he was attached for seven
years as chief of the staff TO Gen.
Pianelli, commander of the 9TH army
corps at Verona. Pianelh was con-
sidered one of the martinets Of the
Italian army, and il was generally
said that when it was necessary to ger
rid of an officer he was sent to Plan
ELI, who soon found out his weak
nesseS and a reason for his retire
ment.
Many divisional commanders were.
in fact. dismissed from Pianelli's
command, but CadOrna came through
the trial with success. and was able
10 perfect his knowledge Of the east
ern frontier besides being entrusted
with several delicate and difficult
commissions by his superior II is
said that his knowledge Of the
frontier is so exact that without a
reference to a map he can describe
every village. road. muletrack, and
path in the frontier region.
His next appointment was as colo
mel in command OF the 10th bersa-
glieri.
Publishes Book on Tactics.
Promoted major general in 1898.
he published a book on tactics for the
use of his own brigade. Today he has
had the book reprinted for general
use throughout the army
When Gen. Saletta retired from the
post of chief of staff in 1909 il was
the general opinion among military
men that CadOrna should fill the past,
ed over, and the late Gen. Polio was
appointed. One of the first acts of
the latter was to appoint Cadorna as
commander Of the Genoa army corps
and designate him for the command
Of an army in war time.
On the death of Gen. Polio last
year. the unanimous opinion of the
succeed him. and so he came to the
head of his cOuntry'S army.
When the commission Of national
reference met some years ago, under
the presidency Of Giolitti. the most
urgent question was the defense of
the port of Genoa.
Giolitti was unacquainted with Ca
dOrna, and there We're many intricate
political influences at work which
had to be considered in planning the
new defenses. Cadorna. commander
of the district, rose from his seat and
addressed the commission for four
hours without once consulting a map
or a piece of paper. So impressed
were the present and the whole com
mission with his speech that the
political interests were at once side
tracked. and the commission adopted
the plan so clearly laid down by the
general
Demanded Certain Funds.
On another occasion he demanded
from the ministry certain funds for
the completion of the defense of his
district. These funds were consistent
ly refused. After consultation with
his wife and children he wrote a let
ter to the minister stating that unless
the funds required were Immediately
granted he would resign from the
army.
To leave the army under such
conditions would have meant for the
general a very much reduced pension
but he placed the welfare Of the
division and the defense of his coun-
try above his personal interests. The
funds were Immediately granted.
Although 81 years old, Gen. Cador-
is young in appearance and alb
normally active. An enthusiastic
mOuntaineer, he spends his rare holi-
days among his beloved Alps
His second in command in Gen.
Porrom. recently commanding the
Milan invasion.
On one occasion he lived for two
years as a bricklayer employed on the
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