The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-08-06
OF ROME
IN GERMAN HANDS
Kaiser Has Throne Room
Greater Than That Of the
King.

ROME. Aug. 1.-THE capital Of Rome,
the most hallowed spot in antiquity. the
center Of ancient Rome and hence Of
the world. "Caput Mundi." as the sa-
cred hill Of Rome. where the temple Of
Jupiter stood. was called. Is German
property.
With the single exception Of the
square and the three palaces and NIL
seums now forming the modern capitol.
all the land around the hill and along
Its slopes. with the ancient remains
buried underneath. is now not only
owned by the German government and
thus state property. but also in a way
IL extraterritorial because annexed to
Sanareiii and the German Archaeological
Institute.
The Kaiser. who considers himself a
descendant Of Charlemagne, according
to. Baron Won Bielfeld. and never re-
nounced his rights to Italy. where King
Victor Emmanuel III of Savoy Is really
only the vicar of the Holy Roman EN-
pire In Italy. has built throne in his
embassy on the capitol.
A Great Throne Room.
The throne room Is twice the size
Of that OF the King OF Italy In the
Quirinal Palace The site Of the Pal.
| ago Caffarelli became German state
property in 1886.
The family continued to own the
land on the capitol under which tn,
remains of the Temple Of Jupiter
a inslly y dee,d sas par
| chase 1t for $4,000. Owing. to the
, urgent necessity Of raising troops thii
sum OF money. was not available. anc
apartment in the Caffarelli Palace
awaited himself OF this opportunity &
buy the whole building for $4,000.
w In i issS when Pr Won Bsei0w
a controversy arose between the mu.
inequality and the German govern
ment abouea right of way across on,
of the terraces of the palace. Prince
palace in exchange for a garden. and
thus the controversy was satisfactory,
settled.
Meanwhile the area owned by tn.
German embassy increased to suci
an extent that It was possible to de-
fine its boundaries and close the gatei
through which the Roman people en-
}oyed the right Of way: Subsequent
ly the neighDoring property was pur
chased and the area of German stat,
property still increased.
The German Archaeological Institute
originally an international school, be
came Germanized and finally was adde,
TO the embassy, so that now the great
est portion Of the Capitoline Hill |
owned by Germany.
Rome May Regain Them.
When the Palazzo Caffarelli was pur
, chased by Germany the Roman municl
pality reserved the right OF buying
back. and since 1870 this right wa
periodically renewed. so that II has nc
been legally extinguished with the laps
Of time. 1t Is, therefore. possible for In
city OF Rome to re-enter into possessio
of the entire Capitoline Hill which IN
Germans should give up since the cigar
tic substructures of the Temple {
, Jupiter, which Pliny called insane OWN
to their size, and which Livy classe
among the wonders Of Rome, still ext,
. underneath the Caffarelli Palace.
Any attempt at excavating the remair
of this temple. the largest and riches
OF Rene, had to be given up owing
the opposition of the German landow,
ers. When Domitian rebuilt this ten
pie for the last time and used Pental
marble brought from Greece and 81
100000 worth of gold for the roof al
/. doors, all the Roman citizens from Il
. Emperor to the lowest plebeian dropp,
y coin In a pit dug in its foundation
! This treasure has been lost and pro
l. ably would be recovered were d
Palazzo Caffarelli excavated.