The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1918-02-23


they motored, Italian hospitality striv-
ing tc Guide Itself at every point.
"Pres-ee-dent-ee Vilson!"
There We're many adventures. Flo
instance, the interpreter assigned to
The convoy, a young Italian of the
~Bersaglieri, with the brassard Of Brit
lsh Headquarters Service on his
sleeve. proved to be a real cosmopOli-
van.
Il come from New York." he said.
Il have lived over there ever since l
was a kid. When | left to come back
here | was dancing with a Spanish girl
in the Hippodrome show. Some
change, isn't It'll"
AT Pontedecimo an Italian Sergeant
dominated the details of hospitality
and proudly exhibited the fact that he
was not altogether un%acquainted with
the English language. He ordered a
bottle of wine and. filling his glass,
strobe over to the Americans table
in the inn.
Lifting both glass and bottle high
above his head, he rose on tiptoe and
in a voice like the Bull of RNsham,
roared "Pres-ee-dent-ee Wilson! !" and
he shouted the name again and again.
The Americans tried to converse with
him, but found that his vocabulary
contained only the ope magic name.
After days and days of this sort of
thing the caravan finally arrived at
Milan, within striking distance of tie
front.
The severe journey had knocked out
four of the cars. Tired out, they re-
sisted all the skill of the mechanicians,
and it was not until garage specialists
spent II night in work over them that
they were whipped into shape.
In the meantime news of the ar
rival of the first American contingent
had spread over Milan like wildfire,
and a triumphal reception was pre-
pared for the entrance of the men.
Reaching Italy, the men believed that
they were t devote their efforts 10
the relief Of the civilian population,
but the Italian government demurred.
I'VE want those men right on our
firing lines to carry the wounded"
they said. 1--WE could use another
hundred"
1t was arranged that the dedication
of this American unit should take
place in the historic old city of Milan
in the spacious interior court of a
mellowed old Italian palace, the facade
of which had turned green with time
and from whose balconies trailed ban
ners of the entire Allied World. The
ears had been parked in the shape of
a horseshoe, two ambulance men in
front of each car. Thus were the units
reviewed by the commanders of the
Italian, French and English troops.
In offering the services of the con-
tingent to Italy, Major - said tx
cellency, on behalf of the American
Red Cross. which represents the whole
people of the Unitd States of Ameri-
ca. and with the deepest feelings of
affection. | have the honor to present
to YOU. the representative of the he
roic Italian soldiers. the first three
sections of the American Red cross
Ambulance corps in Italy.
Long Live ltaly!"
'The Americans who are to operate
these cars have volunteered their serv-
ices. 1t will always be their pleasure
and distinction t remember that in
farthering the effort which America
will make in helping Italy to combat
the common enemy they were the first
American unit to reach the front.
From the bottom of my heart | cry
with them:
Long live Italy! Long live the ltal-
ian army !"
The Italian general made a brief but
solemn response in a voice full of emo
tion. 1t was profoundly impressive.
All realized that these hundred young
volunteers stood there not in their
own strength alone, they stood as the
visible opponents of all the invisible
forces OF a mighty nation, for the
illimitable strength of America, for
her ideals, for her vast in
money and men. What he said about
American Red Cross aid made some
thing lodge TREMENDOUSLY in many
thrOajs.
The dedication ended, the sections
paraded the principal Milan streets
and received the ovation of the
crowds. American flags streamed from
every window; flowers were flung;
shouts of viva America y filled the
air. Shops were closed, and all Milan
celebrated as for some great victory.
After the parade the three sections
drew up in the big open square in
front of the cathedral. There, stand
ing above them on the steps, the syn
dice, in the name of Italy, bade them
an earnest godspeed and farewell.
The crowd listened, thinking that the
s%acrifcial front to which these strange
American youths were h%urrying were
after all, very near to Milan. And
America hitherto had been 80 very
far and her position little understood.
Now all that was done away with.
These men were the promise of Ameri-
ca made flesh.