Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-04-17
Minister of Treasury Routs Out
148 Officers and Sends
Them to Front.
SEARCH IS ON FOR OTHERS
Great Disaster to cadorna's Army May
Be Blessing in Disguise-Volun-
teers in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Are Shot
BY PHILIP r. MACKENZIE.

ROme.-On the eve of the great war,
while General CadOrna was hard at
work creating the Italian army des-
tined to unite Trent and Trieste with
the Kingdom 14S officers of all ranks,
from colonelS to sub-lieutenants, were
given special work. This work CON
sisted in finding out how much money
was wasted during the Tripoli war.
A corridor In the ministry of the
treasury accordingly was set apart for
these officers, who during the last three
years have been auditing accounts and
taking their time in doing it, while
their comrades fought the Austrians
and were wounded or killed in action.
There is every reason to believe that
the great task of auditing the accounts
of the Trlpoli war would have been
prolonged indefinitely, but the new
minister of the treasury, SignOr Nitti,
discovered the 14S officers hidden in
the corridor.
Signor Nittl was disguised at the
sight of so many professional officers
calmly working on the four simple
rules of arithmetic, ard in "A hours
he had the case brought before cab
met council and royal decree was is
sued postponing the work of the 14S
officers, who We're ordered without de-
lay to the front.
No figures are available as to the
number of men physically tit yet ex-
empted from active military service.
Cases of so-called Endorsements"
meaning literally hiding in bushes"
to evade military service, have been
frequent in Italy.
The socialists, who oppose the war
and whose peace propaganda contrib
uted toward the recent military disas-
ter. repeatedly told the masses that in
Italy the war was being fought by the
peasants. The rich people do not fight,
said the socialists, as when one has
money he can easily hide in the
bush"
The sons of well-to-do tradesmen and
farmers as a rule, are drivers of motor
lorries and ambulances, and those of
upper middle classes aud nobility, who
should be officers, often prefer to drive
succeed in getting clerical work in Of
fees away from the front.
1t is true that many young men vol
unteered for active service as officers
in infantry regiments and sacrificed
their lives for their country, but they
were a minority.
1t must be admitted that up TO the
present the mistaken impression pre-
vailed that the hardest share of fight
ing was borne by the peasant and Ia
boring classes, who suffered most of
all from the war. This impression In
creased to such an extent that great
proportion of the men who returned on
short leave from the front felt discouT-
aged and dissatisfied when they real
ICED that every city and town in the
country was crowded with young men
who evaded military service or who
even If called to the colors succeeded
in remaining away from the front end
saw no actual fighting.
AS a result. besides those men who
returned to fight when their short leave
expired. others felt justified in desert
ing. Some of the latter were arrested.
court-martialed and shot. and their
| comrades were not impressed with
such exemplary punishments, which,
| instead of serving as warning. had
| the opposite effect of exciting pity and
provoking dangerous comparisons be
tween the fate of those who evaded