The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1918-10-23

! ference apparent to me in our status
rs | look back on it was that such an
interview was very unusual expert
ence for me- while II was not mt all UNI
usual for the King. and ! forgot to he
conscious OF that at the time
"NictOr Emmanuel impressed me as
a sort Cf combination Of Colonel House
and the late Frank Il. Stockton He is
Il man Of simple and charming manner.
without pose. who hos thrown himself
heart and soul into the cause of his
country and is working for 1t night
and day, as hard as any other person
in Italy. But he prefers to stay he
hind the scenes while doing it,"
A Handwriting Monarch.
That this unceremOuious reception of
a representative of the American De-
mocracy was no pose for theatrical eff
! feet is clearly evident from Mr. Holt'S
report of what he observed and learn.
ed of the Kings daily routine. The
Monarch has selected this little villa
! for his headquarters on account Of its
! location in convenient reach of every
part of the battle-line. Each morning
he rises early. cats simple breakfast,
has Il light luncheon put Up for him.
gets into his automobile and spends
the day visiting some point on the
line comforting with the officers and
talking with the soldiers, learning
their needs first hand and inspiring
them by his presence and his counsel.
AT night lie studies tie plans of battlc
for the following day and never rctircs
without sending letter to his family,
to whom he is pasSionately devoted.
He has made observations Of the
battlefield from dirigibleS and aero
. planes. At one time in 1913 he climb
/ ed to the snOw-cOvcrcd crest Of Rauch-
koel Mountains when the temperature
was below zero in order that ne might
congratulate the Alpine troops who
. had Just captured several Austrian pO-
sitous.
Experiences Under Fire.
an the course Of our conversations"
! said Mr. Holt, he gave me graphic
| description of his experience i'm one
town near the frontier. The AuSrians
discovered his presence in the town
and began bOmbarding it. The King
Immediately Withdrew from the town
| in order that, MS he told me- he might
not unnecessarily impcriI the resi-
. dents. What he did not tell me was
that he departed from the town open
ly, for he was evidently much more
concerned for the safety of the people
/ than he was over the peril to his own
life.
"lIe is very much Interested in the
mechanics of warfare. He described
graphically the barrage drill of the
, Italian troops as he had witnessed it,
"He showed me with great glce
German cross from a captured air.
plane he had framed and hung on the
wall of his room. He described the
different designs he had seen painted
on German planes and was particular
ly amused at one which had the design
of Il Teddy Bear"
His Democratic Traditions.
The Kings ability to play his pres
ont role is the result both of his demo-
cratic inheritance from his Savoy an
cestors and his Spartan uphringlng
colonel, who, at the direction Of the
boys royal father: treated him in ey-
cry way like the son of private citi-
zen. He has ever since preferred
simple. rigorous living. Hunting and
mountain climbing are among his fa-
vorite pastimes.
what did he have to say about the
political and military situationY
asked.
"Nou must remember" Mr.. Holt re-
piled, that one cannot quote a King
directly. While we discussed various
phases of the situation very freely,
would not be AT liberty To give a YER
batim report of his opinions. In fact.
he was careful in talking with me not
10 express himself positively on mat
tiers of state policy. When en-
crouched on such ground, he would
generally counter by asking me what
they told me in Rome about IT,
An AdmIrer of America.
"For instance, I asked him if it was
true that Italy desired America to
send military aid to her. lie asked If
they told me that in Rome.
Eyes replied.
"rhe King said that was right-Italy
did want our aid. He said we could
help particularly by sending them steel
and coal.
"He expressed great deal Of inter
est In American affairs and the Ameri-
can attitude toward the war and kept
me busy answering thoughtful quos-
tons about them. He expressed the
greatest feeling of friendship towards
America and appreciation for what We
have already done In the war; He
thought our efforts already made were