Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-06-22
Italian Army Corps
in Athletic Meet I
Near Battle Line

An Imposing military spectacle was
Reid near the front recently Wheh az
Italian army corps put into aHect tne
e{ahorate system of military aInele.lo
= ga mes which the American ouie
Mems Christian Association is develop
<inr in italy. Major General de uofsio
and many other officers OF hlsn ram
vera present and some ,ooo Troops
we're assembled from the nearly
Anrhtfng front. From the vast plains
where the exercises were nelo one
corld see the mountain defenses OF
Mount Grappa and Mount Tomoa' anu
: frrtber back the distant lines OF the
enemy positions.
General de Giorgio had designated
the day American Day" in recoenltioh
~ the American cooperation IN the
.rair. the American consel at venice
M carroll and his wife were pres
ont american flags waved at every
hand. the official program showed the
I American and Italian colors entWineo
the Italian military bands played '"fne
) star spangled Banner. and there
were many other evidences OF cordial
s,ood will toward American allies.
The military games carried out the
,,,an. Of the Y. M. c. A. of applying
athletics to large groups, even up to
regiments and battalions. instead u
Ia Individuals. One set Of contestants
we're rortv men from each Of a number
of regiments. These parties OF forty
ran over Ave mile course, win sue
cessiye lines Of obstruction Of trenches,
harbed- wire entanglements, dtches anu
barricades One Of the barricades was
three story stone house, winch nao
to be scaled by climbing up the window
cornices on one side and down the
other.
Another contest was between mach
in-gun sections aided by engineers
who forded streams and set up pontoon
bridges, while the gunners crossed win
their guns and ammunition, set up
hastily constructed lines Of works and
opened up fusillade with blank cart
ridges. :,
! At the same time another fusillade
was coming from the hand grenade
contest in which groups Of ten men
represented all the infantry and as
sault battalions.
In pulling the rope the artillery regi-
ments were pitted against each other,
. sixteen men from each regiment. and
In football the engineers were matched
against the artillery.
The appearance Of the Bohemian
unit, recently organized from natives OF
Austria's big province, was the signal
for tremendous enthusiasm. They wore
the red and white athletic costume Of
the Bohemian gymnasiums. andlin open
order stretched across the plain, went
through the Bohemian manual Of at.
with its slow and graceful physical ex-
ercises. Keeping time with their move
ments they intoned the Bohemian ma
tional hymn, and, as they closed q
great banner was raised from their
ranks bearing the inscription Long
live Bohemia, Long live ITALY,"
Many handsome prizes were given to
the snccessful regimental teams, the
AmericansY. M. G. A. taking a leading
part in this branch of the exercises.
General De Giorgio also paid a special
tribute Of appreciation to the officers
Of the Bohemian troops by presenting
watches to them. Mrs. Carroll, wife of
the American consul, comforting the
! gifts on the several officers. And in
order that none Of the 10000 soldiers
should be disappointed the American
Red Cross brought their -camions loaded
with 10000 packages, each containing
some useful articles Of soldiers wear
ana food.
One OF the most notable features Of
this affair YVES that these splendid ath-
letes, full Of enthusiasm and vigor-
men who could run five miles and scale
4 q thFee-story house were part OF the
Second Army. It was the Second
Army It will be recalled, that bore the
fierciest brunt OF the tremendous Aus
Strian rush last fall, when the retreat
was made back to the present Rihve
mountain lines. There was some lnur-