The herald., 1917-11-22


position from the viewpoint OF
N anti-aerial defense. Not only
is IL in the usual sense fOrti-
fled city. but ii lies in a wide plain sur
rounded by hills at successive levels
that render minute and long distance
observation Singularly easy.
The theory of Il hidden and possible
important airplane base somewhere by
the Tyrrhenean sea. that could send its
aircraft to Rome along the fiat shores
or the Maremma marshes, has now
proved to be highly improbable, writes
Magda Sindici in the Chicago News.
The latter would be the best side on
which to attack, only it has the great
disadvantage as a scheme, of not be-
ing-sO far-feasible. SeaShOre and
Maremma marshes would have TO be
approached, failing this western base,
by crossing the higher Apennines. II
-, perhaps, difficult to place anti-air-
craft batteries along these peaks suffi-
cient in number to protect the whole
mountain chain; but spur after spur
TO the main range from this spinal col
umn of Italy to the sea; and these
spurs are protected at every strategic
point, that Is, wherever the mountain
Gus district merges into a plain.
Munition Works in Umbria.
All over the dreamy province of UNI
bria, so called because of the shade"
once cast over the land by the thick
woods that covered it. batteries are
concealed. This province seems to
have gathered to itself all the gentle
ness Of Italy, as IL the spirit of its an
cient agricultural inhabitants, older
than the Etruscans. had managed to
survive the impact of fierce medieval
war. Cmbria holds the town of Terni,
with its unresting steel and munitiOn
works-a great goal for bomb throw
ers and many times attacked. The
little river Nera comes tumbling along
close by 1t, between high, cool banks,
So hasty and vivid that its waters lash
themselves into perpetual foam; and
just above the Nera, the gray CLEAN Of
guns adds q contrasting touch to the
peasants in blue Overalls and the red
tasseled white cattle for which the
district Is famous.
Close under an old rambling con-
vent watched by ageless expresses,
which strike a warm brown note in
surrounding scale of hard grays, an
other battery turks; Calvi, perched at
the top of the last hill before the
Apennines dwindle away into the val
ley of the Tiber, must not be left I'M
defended. know an old peasant there,
who perhaps still trudges along the
same road every dawn and nightfall
with his AK and his spade, who asked
me. not so long ago, if it were true
that there now existed some mad folk,
among other Ubiquitous children of this
wicked century, who were trying to
fly in the air. l told him the report
was quite true. "Flying in the face Of
Providence" he said sadly; tempt
ing Providence"
Batteries All Around the City.
On the hills above TivOli, In view Of
the temple where the prophetic books
were kept that held the story of Rome
and where wise sibyl uttered oracu-
lar truths tempered with probability,
another battery Of straight muzzles
takes heed only of the deep, silken
night sky. This is a larger tOwnlet
than the village Of Calvi, and the in
habitants. lulled to semihypnotic
somnolence by the never ceasing spell
of their waterfalls, know little Of the
wary guns that guard their slumbers.
Along Rome's immediate coronet of
hills, above that Latium where ghOstly
lines of aqueducts and here and there
ruined group of gnarled old tower
spell out the tale of Roman and barO.
NAL days, more batteries guard the Sc
curity of the eternal city, and the same
is the case farther down where little
well Of acidulous water that Is much
drunk In the hot weather sends In its