Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-01-11
ITALIANS DODGE
HOME WAR CALL
Of 100000 in Other Lands,
Only 100000 Respond,
Half from the Americas.
(By Philip r. NIackenzie.)

(By Philip II. Mackenzie.)
Rome, Jan. 1O.-Dr. G. Preziost.
who is a recognized authority on
Italian emigration, calculates that
out of about 100000 Italian citizens
resident abroad and liable to military
service only about. 100000 have obey.
Jed the summons to join the 1colora.
iAlnlost half of those who obeyed the
call to arms were emigrants In Euro
pean countries, as the Italian emil
grants in North and. South America
who repatriated for military service
amounted to 10000, and almost
800, 900 are defaulters. =
According to DR.. Preziosi. the large
proportion of Italian emigrants in
America failed to join the colors ow-
ing to various causes, h principal
among which being the fact that
many had acquired naturalization
without ~renouncing their Italian
still considered Italians here while
they are American citizens to all in
tents n purposes in the country OF
their adoption. $50 go ~
In addition. the difficulties con-
nected with repatriations from Amer
m~ountable. For instance. most
Italians settled in America would have
had to bring over their families with
them, as they could not continue their
business or keep their dependents on
the small subsidy granted by the
Italian government to soldiers
families. Italian emigrants have not
been sufficiently encouraged by the
consular authorities to repatriate for
military service. Transport, facilities
! are lacking, and no assurances. was
given them that after the. war they
could return to America IN resume"
their work there even il they happen-
ed to be illiterate.
Subsidies Wanted for Families.
Now that Italian emigrants in
America will nave no other option but
to join the American army in case
they refuse to repatriate for military
service in Italy. even if the question
OF naturalization remains unsettled
until after the war, it will be neces-
sary that sufficient transportation ia.
cilities will be available for those
Italian army and that the subsidies
I granted to their families by the
I italian government should be In
creased lest they should be deferred
from repatriating on. account of the
fear that their families will become
destitute.
There is every reason to believe
that the special agreement or IN
Z Nention between Italy and America
regulating ~the-question of italian emf
grants liable to military service will
include. besides a general amnesty to
all defaulters and deserters, also spe-
cial provisions relating to transporta-.
ton facilities and special subsidies to
soldiers families.
A group of members of parliament
: have given notice of a motion upon
which they insist there Shall be an
early discussion, demanding that the
rations of soldiers should be increas-
ed and improved. that woollen under-
wear n blankets should be provld-
&c for the me at the front without
delay and that financial compensation,
consisting either in a reward or a sum
of money paid to the family, should
be granted to all men decorated for
valor. ~:
The question of soldiers rations is
justly considered of the utmost inn
portance and it's Immediate solution
is urged lest the resistance~and efh-
cheney of the army should be weaken
ed, the more so as the British and
French troops now on. the Italian
front are exceptionally we'll fed. AS
| the rations of the italian troops in
Macedonia have been specially im--s
proved in order that they should not
compare unfavorably with the food
allowance OF the Anglo-French troops
there. probably the same system will
be adopted on the Italian front.
Pope Planning Protest. I
Although no comment Is allowed in
the Catholic press about the secret
clause in the treaty between italy and
France, England and Russia exclude
ing any interference on the part OF the
Pope in connection with the war. still
it is we'll, known that the resentment
Of Italian Catholics is considerable.