The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-07-29
VICTOR EMMANUEL A HAS SPENT 15 YEARS s'
 ON ITALIAN THRONE

This is the fifteenth anniversary of the accession of Victor Emmanuel III to the throne of Italy, for he be- came ruler on July 29. 1900, when his father, King Iumbert, the second monarch of United Italy, was mur- dered at. Monza by the anarchist Bresca. The tragedy which raised him to power makes this a day of sadness, rather than of rejoicing5 for the monarch who is now leading his nation in battle in the hope of real izing the cherished dream of the re- clarnation Of Italia Irrendenta.''
 Victor Immanuel was in his thirty first year when he was elevated to the throne. He faced his responsibili- ties intelligently and calmly, and quickly won the respect of his sub- jects. His personal popularity, how ever, did not prevent the progress of the republican movement in Italy, and only a few years ago the King himself was quoted as expressing the belief that within 30 years, and prob ably in a much lesser time, Italy would be a republic. He accepted this situation like the philosopher he is, and declared that his chief hope was that. if the overthrow of the monarch came in his time, he might be per mitted to remain in Italy.
 The Tripon war, which proved very popular, helped to bolster up the
 
 voy, and it is likely that this conflict, if favorable to Italian arms, will make the King so great a hero that the ac- compHshment of the republican as- pirations will become impossible in his life -tiRne.~
 The three kings of United Italy have been men of considerable ma ural ability, and in. the opinion of many observers Victor Emmanuel Ill is about the abIest of European rulers This fact has in part helped to disarm those who oppose the king on the ground that the house of Savoy, to which he belongs, is French rather than Italian. The duchy of Savoy, the home of the Kings ancestors, is now in possession of France. All; of the male members of the house of Savoy who are of military age are now serving at the front and this spir- it of patriotism is likely to overcome the old Italian prejudice against the family.
 Since Italy joined the Allies, King Victor Emmanuel has spent much of his time at the front, dashing about in a gray motor car, or riding through the hills and mountain passes on a horse or a mule, and ascending to the peaks of mountains to observe the jrogress of the military operations. Reports from Italy state that the King has had several narraw escapes. On
 
 of his presence at the front reached the <Austrians, who immediately bonn 1 barded the spot, some of the shells 1 falling 120 yards from the spot where the monarch and his staff officers were standing. It is related that the King calmly counted the projecti1es as they fell and then with pencil and paper figured out the cost ot the at tempt on his life.
 The Italian King according to the Rome papers, sleeps in an ordinary camp bed, and rises each morning at 4 o'clock. Within an hour he is on his way to some spot at the front, where his presence cheers the troops and inspires them to greater efforts.
 Victor Emmanuel is accustomed to facing, death, for on several occasions his life has been threatened by anar chists. These attempts have not shat I tered his nerves, however, and he has always been more democratic and eas fer to approach than many rulers with much less reason to fear assass- ination.