Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-09-27

| ROME, Sept. 27.-Professor A
Fradalette, deputy from Venice to the
Italianparliament, has just arrived in
Rome with committee of Venitian
leaders to submit to Premier Boselli
a number of measures destined to re-
lieve the economic distress in which
the city is struggling, and also to
urge Gen. Morone, minister of war, to
perfect the defense of Venice in order
to prevent further air raids. He de-
clared today that only the employment
CT the most effective means of defense,
together with strong protest by the
whole civilized world, will save Venice
from utter destruction.
1T will be reputition of the story
of Louyain, Rheims and Arras," Depu-
ty Fradelette said. Judging by what
has already happened, the city is DOOM
ed to destruction. Naturally, the
world at large knows very little about
the extent of the damage already in
fiicted on the city, as the official COM
muniques are not supposed to give de-
tails. But the fact is that if the war
continues another year, and the Aus
TRANS keep UP their indiscriminate
bombardment of the city at the pres
ent pace there will soon be but very
little left in Venice worth seeing.
IF st. Marks is still intact, it is not
the Austrians' fault. Probably there is
either an angel or saint who shields
the cathedral, whose marble and mo-
sale still tell the story of the old,
Christian republic. But how long will
1t remain unchanged? When will the
Austrians destroy it? Eighteen
months ago August Rodin, the cele-
hrated French sculptor, was in Venice,
and one evening l saw him stop in the
middle of the square and look alter
rately now at st. Marks and now at
the palaces on both sides of him. Iii
was the time when Italy was meditat-
ing the momentous resolve and the de-
claration of war to Austria was daily
expected. All of a sudden l saw
something glitter in the sculptor's
eyes. Turning to me, he said: viii
they dare destroy them?'
Answer is Clear.
Unfortunately the answer is only
too clear AS the hope of re-taking
Gorilla vanishes the Austrians will
renew their attack against the city.
They warned us in advance. In two
different occasions the enemy planes
dropped handbills warning us that if
we took Gorilla they would raze our
city, and / am afraid this threat will
be carried out unless the civilized
world raises it's voice against the van
Gal determination of the Austrian gen
eral staff.
Owing to it's geographic position,
Venice, besides being huge open-air
.luscum, is also a naval base. This
Iustifes the air raids; but the build
ings that up to date have most suffer
ed from the air commandments are
those which no military value what
ever.
"In year, beside the church of the
the SralZ, the austrian bombs nave
greatly damaged the convent of st.
Francis and the church of the same
name attached to it. OF the number
of private dwellings and industrial
plants either destroyed or damaged l
will say nothing.
THE true, deliberate, vandal at
,empts against the monuments of the
city began right after the fall of oGr~
itzia Since then incendiary bombs
have been used, instead of purely ex-
plosiye ones, and now the danger of
gigantic confagration have been add
ed to those of explosions.
%Since August 8, thirty-five fires
have been started. The destruction of
st. Maria Formosa early in August