Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-24
HISTORIC TOWNS
NOW UNDER FIRE
Many of the Austrian Places
Shelled by Italians Have
Pictorial Aspects

at speedy victory for Mazzini's countrymen
but at places OF historic and picturesqu,
Interest to the casual "trlpper," reader oi
motion cture shark" Naturally, the
cluef OF these Is Trieste. Among the mos
| stirring and significant advices from the
| theatre Of battle lately are those which
have dealt with the steady double advance
upon that city BY water and land has II
| been subjected TO an attritive assault
| From the west and northwest Italian forces
| have borne down upon the place. Attacks
| by vessels Of Italian and British owner
| snip on the naval defenses are recorded, too.
| The fanatic on things italian finds IN
| trieste only n reflection of Naples. But
| even he will admit, when pressed, that the
| copy is nearly the equal in beauty, in at
| mospheric charm, in pictorial vivldity Of
| the original painting. out Of the bay
| formed like n semicirce, the city springs
| up, borne aloft by escarpments that are
! both picturesque I'm themselves and pic
| turesquely arranged, Like n dark shadow
| against this visual iovelness is set the
Villa Miramir, symbol of tragic event in
| the Hapsburgs' historical records II
stands on the left shore, its bases wet with
the bay-salt Miramir was built by Maxi
milan, brother Of the late Emperor Of
Austria. and himself the man who, by a
gesture Of fate became Emperor of Mex
ico. 1t was in that seditious and strife
ridden land that he came TO his death by
violence
Today NIiramir is inhabited by his widow,
the Empress Carlotta. Her body lives, but
her mind is dead. The cause of course, was
her husbands tragic ending
Before tho war shut off inspection by the
tourist the latter would hardly have been
able to tell precisely why the city was
Austrian, much was It dominated, so far
as language and buildings were concerned
with italian influences. All the shops
and street signs were in the latter tongue;
hg int Lei n
trict signs In other languages were to be
found. Curiously, the chief one was CrOa-
tian, not German. One can easily imagine
that all this has been changed by, the iron
and ironic pat Of the Central Empires I'm
gers.
Trieste Lacks Social "Tone"
One Of my best friends, a cosmopolite Of
parts and an especial devotee of the lus-
cious south Of Europe, tells me that he was
not intrigued by Trieste to the point OF
wanting to stay a lifetime there. He OBJ
jected mildly to the general lack OF Social
tone" Of the place. Trieste was exceed
ingly valuable to the beauty lover because
It gave on the islands, cities and towns di- |
Tectly south along the Dalmatian coast on |
the Adriatics eastern shore.
Pola is another name to conjure with |
these days. It's quality of popping up in |
the Italan-Austrian news is marked. This |
leading naval station of Austria comes into |
view after you turn the end of the proml- |
nent cape of the Istrian peninsula. 1t is no |
tedious task to bring before ones inner |
eye the clash between modern and ancient, |
for while the harbor must be often full of
warlike craft, those who have visited Pola |
will recall that stately Roman amphitheatre,
In decent condition of preservation, rising
In full view Of the center of the town. At
some distance off, although you cannot see
them from the sea, are temples not yet
lurup1 ipfn bNy 1a n1 ~ |
years. These too, have historical back
ground of moderate interest.
The first genuine hint Of Balkan color
strikes the vision in Pola. Native Dalma-
tan dress is by no means infrequent. Faith
'ul adherence to this picturesque national
ty in costume is to be observed in this part
Of Continental Europe, and in very few
others. The hue and cry after hues and
,rying colOrs which Bakst and Urban have
sounded in the modern theatre might have
lictated the color schemes Of these gar
nents. Yellows, reds greens and blues lift |
heir silent voices in a chorus of praise to
he rainbow which is exceedingly telling |
,efOre Anglo-SaNOn eyes, and so character |
site, 50 distinctive, that one has eyes to
wonder, but lacks tongue TO praise" The
ruly theatrical aspect Of these brave tints
9 supported by the fercely pugnaCious |
haracter of the mems adjuncts These
men, at least the Slavic element In the |
make much show Of their pls- |
OILS while belts with daggers thrust ! ,
trough them do not subtract from the en-
emble of bristling brayado.
Today you are Cor should bc) as much !
Interested in Sebenico as any other south ,
IN point. For here is a naval station,
With a large training school for cadets
ebenicO's position seems a safer one than
most. 1t is situated on the shores Of "a ,
lndlocked harbor, such situation Offering
natural protection from assault.
Pagan Times Recalled
Spalato. the next port Of call unlike
ther places mentioned in this article is
enerally regarded as Of little strategic inn
ortance. But, like false jewelry or the
lystery Of the mirage, it Is fascinating in
Is minor way: minor only to the naval J
r military bug" for TO the poet or the {
istorian it has always seemed a very fine .
)rt Of spot indeed. Not mahy towns shell
er the majority Of their population inside
II emperor's pallce. The great Diocetian,
'eary of royal rule, caused this edifice TO .
o built in the fourth century He wanted
} have on constant tap a draft Of ee-
ant boredom, like the famous beauX of I
watering places in the eighteenth
entury.
There is a touch Of pagan pathos IN the ]
that the Emperor lived there and 8
led there in the faith of Diana, Apollo and ,
enus. over in the Rome which the poly
leistic conservative has quilted "the pale
alilean" had conquered. Constantine had
brown down the sun-god and the MOON {
Cd and the goddess of love and life and
luGhter and raised up the Cross in their
,ead. The official Roman world, not slow '
follow the way blazed for IL by its
'ader, had renounced paganism. Yet Dio-
etian dwelt on for nine years unchanging,
oubtless feeling
have lived long enough, having seen 8
One thng-that love hath end. I
al md nai md
BE near me now, and befriend.
hOu art more than the night or the morrow
The seasons that laugh or that weep,
or thVse bring labor or sorrow,
But thou. Proserpina, Sleep
Just as men Of today" as one OF nv
finely puts It, "who have
sen to high place take joy In returning
} the scenes Of their humble beginnings, I
, 1t was with Diocletian, who chose a coun- ,
" in which his father had been a slave
or his retirement amid the glorles of this
lRrvelous structure, many CT whose apart
tents can still be identified"
Proceeding southwark, you encounter
rau. In between lies the coast OF Dali
lata which is synonymous with beauty
agusa looms up further on, with it's walled
which suggests Parrish land
nd sea sCape.
Austrlas most southern outpost in Dali
lata is Cattaro. This is on the last of a {