Evening star., 1918-02-20
ROME GETS FIRST
VIEW Of AMERICANS
Aviators in Uniform Cause
Roman Newspaper to Laud
United States.
BY LILLIAN T. MoWRER.
Especial Correspondence of The Evening
Star and the Chicago Daily News.)


Star and the Chicago Daily News.)
ROME. Italy, January 1.-Christmas
day saw the cities of Rome and Naples
invaded by American student aviators,
who were taking their first vacation
from the training camp somewhere IN
Italy, Most of them had not seen a
large city for months. the towns near
their camp are far from prepossessing
and they broke upon the large centers
with considerable vehemence. Their
wide-brim slouches made them con-
spicuous wherever they went. What the
inhabitants thought of them can be
learned from the following. printed in
the Rome Idea Nazionale. generally none
too friendly toward America or Ameri-
can ideals:
During the last few days a certain
rumor has been circulating among the
people of Rome, who. however, are not
too much disturbed by it. 1t is one of
those stories which since the beginning
of the war have occasionally spread
through the city, uttered by mysterious
voices whose origin is unknown, but
whose aim is most evident. thanks to
which stupid ard clumsy Germans be-
lieve they can influence the Romans and
later profit by this influence.
That Wilson in agreement with the Pope
was preparing for the nations at war a
magnificent Christmas present, peace.
AS though to give the lie to this false,
insinuating voice, we have seen among
us lately soldiers in uniform that is new
for the Romans. They are strong, splen-
did looking young men. dressed in khaki
little lighter than the English shade,
with hats like those of our Boy Scouts.
Every one has been asking who these
~ hot nxytr 1iv,oP w
event has brought them to Rome. They
are American soldiers, they are the sol
diers that Uncle Sam is sending across
the ocean to prove with their blood on
the citizens of the great transatlantic
republic bear for the liberty and justice
of the world.
THE Romans, who never show their
feelings very easily. look at these SOL
diers with the greatest sympathy. to
with broad smile that shows their
healthy and magnificent teeth.
But this first appearance of American
soldiers has not been pleasure to every
one in Rome. Many faces are seen to
grow long and serious; these are our
surviving Germanophiles, who at the
appearance of these robust and hearty
men see their criminal hopes Of a Ger
man victory fade away. These magnifi-
cent representatives of the great army
that Wilson has created almost out Of
nothing and equipped most adequately
all carry in their faces certain seren-
ity of spirit which shows them to be
men sound of heart and liver. Without
undue military pride in themselves. their
easy movements and long stride show a
confidence and determination. for which
the Germans, in their inferiority, have
substituted a bestial ferocity. At the
beginning of the war, the German mill
tary staff laughed at the Contemplate
little British army" Now that they
have seen this army on trial they are a
little uneasy about the unexpected ap-
pearance of this last to arrive on the
field. the American Army.
They come with all the enthusiasm
of splendid youth, which fears nothing
and believes nothing impossible They
come joyfully. animated by a superior
moral force which is an army's greatest
power and which, in the end. is the de-
Gliding factor in the destiny of people,"