The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-10-17
kIno and Queen Are Idols Of tho
People Because of Their
Intimacy With
Them.
QUEEN AT THE HOSPITAL
Soldier Who Has Lost Both Hands In
the War, Was Promised a
Position He Could
Manage.
TBy Alice Robe, United Press StaH
Correspondent

NUN ooPl v. w
secret of the Italian soldiers valor
and patriotism, remarked by everyone
who has come in contact with him, Is
inspired by King Victor Emmanuel
HIS queen and his royal family, every
member of which, including the king
and queen. get right down in the ranks
and live with their people from day
to day.
The soldier realizes his monarch Is
fighting beside him.
While Victor Emanuel has done
deeds of heroism to be with his men
in the m DIST of things, there is anoth-
err royal element quite as important
in this psychological inspiration OF
the soldier. 1t has to do with the
feminine side of the house Of Savoy.
Ask any Italian soldier returned
wounded from the front why he
fought. Ten TO one before he has
talked five minutes he has narrated
some anecdote Of Queen Helena's
gentle consideration, some story of
the beautiful and kindly Princess Jol-
anda some episode concerning the
Princess Mafalda-and then of course
there is always to be remembered that
handsome manly little prince Of Pied
mont who is the soldiers beloved
ideal.
There isn't a soldier in Italy who
wouldn't tear his bandages off and
wave them in the air and give three
cheers for the Queen Mother Margh-
erita. The royal family Of Italy is a
living. breathing, sympathizing, SUI
fering, cheering, sorrowing part of the
life of every soldier at the front or
in the hospitals. ...
Queen Helena and the royal prin-
cesses have been at the front. They
have spent the last two months in
northern Italy. making repeated trips
to the zone where the wounded are
first taken from the fields of battle.
It is said that,a soldier who had
lost his voice suddenly regained 1t
through the shock of JOY at beholding
Queen Helena bending over his cot.
In the hospital Of ----- Queen
Helena one morning came to a young
soldier who had lost both hands
through the explosion Of bomb. Deep
despair had succeeded a stage Of vio-
lent weeping with this young man
who, in his home near Rome, had
young wife and ten months old
baby awaiting the return OF their
MANNED father and husband.
Queen Helena with gentle sympathy
succeeded in making the young soldier
talk. When she had finished. the
,i,een, her own eyes moist, took the
banda ged stub of the kings soldiers
arm and told him his future need not
be so dreary. She told him Of the
marvellous new inventions and prom
ised him artificial hands and post
ton which he could manage.
Apropos Of this instance both Queen
Helena and the Queen Mother Margh-
erita have taken up a new work. They
have provided funds for the purchase
of artificial limbs for MANNED soldiers
and a noted specialist has been en-
gagged to study new methods for adopt
ing them to the needs Of Italian sol
diers.
It is the pleasure Of the royal prfn-
cesses to devote their own pocket
money to the needs Of the wounded
soldiers. A blind soldier at
who was informed that her majesty
Queen Helena and the Princess Jol-
ande stood before him, burst into
tears.
II have given my eyesight gladly
to my king and my country he said,
"but I did not realize how bitter
thing it was, your majesty, never to
see your face and that Of the Princess
Jolanda again."
The beautiful little Princess Jolanda
herself broke into tears and from that
day the blind soldier OF - has been
her special friend and charge.
The faces Of Italy's royal family are
known to the soldiers. not only
through photographs and post cards.
but in the living presence. Each and
every one of them is a beloved object
in the soldiers life for whom he Is
fighting.
There Is none of that forced or
spectacular homage which character
ICES the attitude Of other fighting men.
In Italy, where emotions and senti-
ments are deep and passionate-there
is love for Queen Helena and the little
rincesses-which forms a strong I'M
pulse in the life of the Italian soldiers,
whose chief inspiration is their king.
Sure to Lose.
New York Globe: The poor people
Of Bulgaria! The sympathy of the
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