El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-11-01
General Cadorna
(christian Science Mon,tor)

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The name Of Cadorna stands high in the
history Of united Italy. 1t was the father Of
the present generalissimo Of the italian
forces who marched into Rome, some All
years ago, at the head of a victorious army,
whilst his mother was a daughter of the
famous patriot Zoppi, who was project OIL
Brescia in the momentous year 1855. His
uncle Carlo also was an ardent supporter
of Italy's struggle for liberty at that. time,
when, as a member of the cabinet, he threw
all his energy into the realization Of Ca
YOURS aphorism, "A free church in q free
state"
Young Cadorna, of course, was destined
TO be a soldier from the first. When q
boy he entered the military college at Mi
Ian, and there quickly became famous TOR
his utterly irrepressible spirits. His vi
vacity. indeed, knews no bounds, but hel
must have, to q large extent, disarmed the
serious displeasure OF his masters by his
enormous capacity for work and his excep-
tonal aptitude. He, moreover, declined to
be onessided in his studies. He was willing
enough to adopt the recipe for success sum.
med up in the words, "patient, persistent e.
fort along one line" always provided that
he was not asked to make 1t his only line.
And so, in his spare time, he devoted him
self to the reading Of history and philoso-
ply and to studies other than those pre-
scribed in the military course he was fol-
lowing. Nevertheless, soldering did come
first and last with him, and IL he studied
history, he made abundant use Of it in Ills
profession as a soldier, whilst the liberal stu
dent has often been evident, during the past
two and a half years, in his dispatches from
the front. s
His promotion was rapid. On leaving the
military academy at Turin, where he grad.
uated at the head of his class. he entered
the School of war. There, he served in
both the infantry and the artillery and when
he left, he was appointed to the staff of his
division Of Florence, which was commanded
by his father. And now his acquaintance
with history and philosophy, and with let
tiers generally, began to stand him in good
stead. The young Captain Cadorna, for so
he had become, began to be talked about
for his writings on military geography, es-
pecially in regard to the frontier, and in
1883, when he was appointed major of the
Sixty-second regiment Of infantry, his fell
officers quickly recognized in him a
master soldier. He brought with hin an
immense fund of theoretical tactical knowl-
edge, gained from a careful study of the
wars of the past, for which he now sought
practical application, and his old Savoyard
colonel, whilst he grumbled at the way the
new major turned everything upside down,
looked on with p~aternal regard at the en-
of his officers for the new teach.
ing. no
In 1892, Major Cadorna was j appointed
colonel of a regiment of Bersaglieri. and,
six years afterward, published his famous
pamphlet on tactics, which is still regarded
the best vade-mecum for infantry off
GERS. In inner military circles in Italy,
however, General Cadorna, as he became in
1898. was, perhaps, most famous for his
astounding knowledge of the Austro-Italian
His father, while in command Of
the army corps at Turin, had given some at
to the matter, but Luigi Cadorna
made it one of his great studies. Those who
knew him were wont to speak of the amaze
ment they felt as they heard him discuss a
situation, indicating, without the
aid of maps, valleys, passes, roads, paths
and strategic positions with all the assur-
of one who reads rom a book. In 1914,
ne was appointed chief of the general staff,
Ind when war was declared on Austria he
was placed in command of the Italian forces
n the field. General Cadorna is a man
With a strong sense of duty. He is, more
,ver, a strict disciplinarian, but he is quick
recognize merit and to reward it. A true
democrat at heart, there are few generals
more loved by their men than the hero Of