The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-06-25
KING
At FRONT A
WHOLE YEAR
Has Returned to Rome but
Few Times since His Coun-
try Entered the War.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE 1TAL.
IAN ARMY, June 24-(correspon.
dence. OF The Associated Press)- KinI
Victor Emmanuel has now been e. tn,
front with his soldiers for a whole
year. He left the Quirnal a few hour,
after midnight, on May rs, a year ago,
when war was declared. and he has
returned to Rome but two or three
times since that date-and then only
on important state or military busi-
ness. On the front the king Is tho
most familiar figure. and the man most
loved by the soldiers, not only he
cause he is king, but because OF his
personality.
Man Of Family.
II is common information that NJ
home King Victor is a man OF family.
living with his children and the queen
in only small part OF the immense
royal palace. Before the war, he lived
more like a middle-class Frenchman
OF family. playing with his children for
many hours ut a time. loathiug pomp
and show, using his non-political
hours for reading and study, or for his
hobby Of collecting old coins. When
he received either politicians or ordi-
nary friends. 1t was in the easy man
ner OF the man who likes men and
their company. In such intercourse,
It was his custom to refer to his four
children by their first names and not
infrequently use the phrase: MY
wife was telling me the other day"
Al thu trout hn
new side to his character. Here
he has developed love for the firing
line that is at once the admiration of
his soldiers and the torture OF tho
commanding officers and in particular
OF his faithful aide. General Uso
Brusati. who has been the companion
OF the king since the latter was Prince
OF Naples. Should II ever so happen
that the king disappeared from his
quarters without telling anybody
where he was going. II is pretty GER
tam the first place we should look
would be up near the front lines" said
an officer.
The fearlessness OF the king was
noted by group OF Italian Journalists
one day in the following manner, as
related by DR.. Giovanni Miceli. news
paper man who has himself engaged
MS a volunteer officer in several OF
ltaly's wars; An action was goinp
on ut certain part Of the front which
several OF us wanted to see. When
we got within rifle range OF the &C.
ton. we were forbidden to go further.
AS we were haulted by the roadside
protesting heatedly that it was our
business |: we got killed, the klna
whiEzed by in his car and went right
on into the firing zone that was con-
sidered too dangerous for u.s."
Al mess time II is the kings in
variable rule to invite whatever group
OF soldiers or officers he meets to
eat with him and during the meal he
does not stand on his rank but speaks
with them Of matters that interest
them. asks news Of their families, OF
their homes. On the other hand, he
is apt to speak Of his own family and
personal matters in the same easy
fashion. as If his personal affairs were
public property II is hundreds of
such meetings that 20 to make the
soldiers feel that their king is one OF
them. Because OF his custom OF al
ways carrying numerous boxes OF
cigars and ciGarets and pipe tobacco
co In his automobile. there is n lot Of
unSmoked tobacco scattered through
out Italy today. tobacco that will dry
TO dusk before It is smoked. While
the king makes presents OF this tobac-
co to the soldiers and under officers.
and insists that they smoke II, they
keep 1t ms souvenir and send II
home to he framed and hung UP as n
family treasure.
Does Not Pose.
Although the constitutional head Of
the army, with right to make war and
conclude peace, the king does not pose
as great soldier or military genius.
He is ltaly's first king who has not
interfered in military matters. He
leaves that work absolutely to Cen
cral CadOrna and his staff. II is freely
claimed that he has n rather wide un-
derstanding Of military matters and
has studied them closely. but for all
this he does not attempt TO impose
his opinions or his will.
That the king is able to stick at the
front, endure its trying life. and the
physical hardships OF mountain work.
is due TO his strong physique. As a
boy he was weakening. but partly be-
cause Of his own determination to be-
come strong, partly because Of the
Spartan training given him by his
tutor. Colonel Oslo. he has built up
body that can climb mountains with
the professional Alpinists. Colonel
Oslo was a man OF the old school and
when the young prince was turned
over to him. he set in to give him
terrific training. II was either kill
or cure. He had the little prince up at
5 O'Clock In the morning, winter
and summer, taking baths and exer.
cises of the most rigorous kind.