The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-12-30
FRANCE and ITALY


his 16 months of service In France
and Italy with the medical corps gave
a very interesting address at the
Methodist church last evening. The
doctor. is home on a furlough and
brings with him a fund of informa-
ton, fresh from the very battlefront.
Before going acros to Europe, DR..
Moore was a practicing physician at
Portland. Ore. He said in part:
Italians are found in America In
great numbers. There are perhaps
seven or eight million of the IONS of
Italy within our borders. They are
an integral part of us and relatively
are the closest to us in matters of
sympathy and help and that relation
ship caused our government to prof.
ect troop-help to them at the earliest
possible moment after the Italians
severed their alliance with the CEN
trail powers and determination to cast
their lot with that of the Allies. She
is closest to us also because of the
great number of American troops
that were brigaded with their forces
for the supreme contest that occur
red along the Piave valley and with
in gunshot of Venice. Again we a'e
united to them through the adrlir-
able work of the American Red
C1uss.
Italians who visit and do bYeiness
In this country are wide awakB and
use their faculties for absorbing our
ideals and standards and they return
to their sunny, vine-clad slopes as in
structors of a great revelation, hence
evolution from this sort of contact
has had an elevating effect upon all
her people, Our conception of the
Italians as a race Is far from true
to their actual standing and progress.
We think of them as 'Dagos" and as
being inferior. There are among
them the highest types of intelli-
gence and culture. Economically
and politically considered. they are
industrious, united In thought and
purpose and quickly adopt the better
forms and customs of enlightened
civilization. They also entertain
false estimates of the Americana peo-
pie. They thought of us only as a
progressive and well favored aristoc-
racy of millionaires. The war and
our humane assistance has greatly
revised their opinions, however.
Ethnologically considered, the Ital-
ians closely resemble, in some char
acteristics the peoples of northern
Europe-even red hair is not lacking.
The Red Cross, that great humans
tartan service organization, had its
origin In the brain of an Italian who
conceived the idea many years ago.
during a clash at arms when Italy
was engaged with outside enemies.
This man carried his idea to a con-
ference at Geneva, Switzerland, and
There the present symbol, the cross.
was adopted.
Music is the chief characteristic in
the soul-life of every Italian and dur
ing the great Isonzo retreat. an ex-
ample of its effects on fighting men
was very apparent. The greatest vic
tory in that region was inspired by
the music from a famous regimental
band under the direction of one of
the worlds most noted bandmasters,
and right at a time when Gen. Ca
dorna had but half faith in his troop
ers' ability to become immune from
the insidious percolations of Prussian
propaganda. That music saved the
day for Italy.
That honor quantities are high In
he,Italian breast. especially in the
matter of religiously keeping on
tracts and agreements was evidenced
at a time when a general detection
had gained momentum among Italian
soldiers asa result OF German propa-
ganda which eventually broke down
the morale and set up f~raternizing.
At this stage the Austro-Germans
had negotiated q separate peace and
drew up its terms, n of which was
the laying down of arms by the Ital-
ian forces detected. This was met
religiously by the italians. but no
sooner had 1t been done when the
pseudo-Prussian hounds pursued
their advantage with an alacrity that
spoke plainly of shameless dishonor
in the keeping of promises sanctioned
and sworn to.