The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-03
Live a Wonderful People Who
Thrive on Disaster.
They Have Suffered More Than
Did the Russians.
YES, IT'S ITALY, OF COURSE
Believed on the Verge of Col
lapse, They Rallied GlOriOusly.
Held the AuStrianS and Later
Defeated Them.

a wonderful people are the Italians
Never has that been more apparent
than now.
But a few months ago they were
set upon by hordes of Germans and
Austrians, many times outnumbered.
and made the victims of one of the
most terrible attacks of the war.
AS the days of the offensive went
by. the whole world feared that Italy
would give way.
But Italy did not give way.
She rallied her forces against an
enemy heartened by great initial sue
cess. and on the banks of the Piave
stemmed the tide of the invaders.
1t was a gigantic achievement. It
required the whole fighting force and
the whole fighting spirit of Italy.
Thousands of men had been taken
prisoners. Thousands had been killed
and wounded.
A great tract of Italian territory had
been invaded.
Often it seemed certain that the
battle would be lost
Yet never once did the Italian peo-
pie consider the possibility of sur
render Resistance became more stub
born as the attack progressed. and at
last the a strians and Germans were
forced to give up their purpose.
A few weeks ago another drive was
attempted. Again the Italians rallied
and stood firm, and today they are bit
terly Furnishing the foe.
Such valor is notable in any war.
It is particularly notable now when
the sufferings of Italy have been so
great.
actually Italy has suffered in the
war as much as, if not more than, did
Russia.
Russia gave way; Italy did not.
And this is the reason:
Russia had for long time been
ruled automatically by a cold and
meroiless dynasty.
Corruption ruled in the army and
the navy.
Everything was secondary to the
rapacity of the grand dukes who form
ed the ruling class.
There was no real democracy in any
seat of authority. And wherever de-
mocracy reared its head it was struck
down.
Italy has always been a democratic
government
It's people have always been patri-
otto.
Their government is of their own
making. and its form is practically as
free as our own.
The Italian people, cemented into
a union by the gallantry of Garibaldi
and Victor Emmanuel, have taken
pride in their liberty, pride in their
achievements, pride in their wonder
full past.
Theirs is a past which extends far
Their back int history than that of
any other European people.
The fierce love for democracy that
was horn in Garibaldi was nurtured in
the United States, where the great
patriot resided before he led his peo-
pie to victory.
And always between the Italians
and the Americans there has been a
warm bond of sympathy and brother
hood.
1t was an Italian. Christopher Co.
1umhus. who gave the new world to
humanity. And all the art and much
of the literature that has come down
to us from ages past has been created
in Italy.
Today in America there are mil
lions of men and women of Italian
birth or blood. all of them excellent
citizens. all of them splendid Ameri-
cans.
of those who still retained their
Italian citizenship thousands Joined
the colors of their country when Italy
entered the war.
There were no slackers among them.
And when the United States went
into the war Italians of American
birth or citizenship were as quick to
enlist under our flag. And they have
made splendid soldiers in the ranks
of the American army.
Every American is proud of its al
lance with this nation, which refuses
to be beaten, and which temporary
defeat only spurs to fight the harder.
There can be no doubt that the
Italian line will stand firm, no matter
how hard it is assaulted by the Aus
TRANS, and that the great and beauti-
full old Italian cities with their price
less art treasures will be saved from
the vandal invaders.
Moreover, what is more important
even than art treasurers, the spirit of
liberty, which has found high express
sion in Italy, will be saved, and a
great nation will show that never. in