The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-09-26

of our troops, renting warehouses, of
ices and hotels, buying automobiles
trucks, tents and supplies. For two
laws was at a Mediterranean sea
port. Went there to meet a certain
command of Il troops recently land
ed. AS usual | met a number OF Iowa
boys. some of whom | knew-and such
a reunion as we had in this old land
of the Caesars. These boys belone
to a unit of volunteer college men
They organized at Ames on May IL OF
last year and enlisted at Des Moines
on June 5. The boys are in splendid
condition mentally, morally and ply
sically, and asked me to send their
greetings to the home folks.
Today Italy celebrated Frances
great holiday, the anniversary of the
razing of the Bastile. 1t was a great
demonstration. The air was full OF
paper slips on which We're printed
the words. "Vive la France" They
were marching soldiers from Italy
England and France, and old veterans
who fought with Garibaldi. Unfortu-
nately there were no American troops
in this city. Our only representatives
in the line of march were ten Y. M.
c. A. men and as many representa-
tives of the American Red Cross.
But we We're honored as much as
if we had been a command Of fight
ing troops. Cheer after cheer went
up all along the line and the air was
vocal with "Vive la Americana" AS
we passed the reviewing stand the
band played THE Star Spangled Ban
ner." The morale of Italy has been
wonderfully strengthened by the re-
cept repulse of the -Austrians, and it
is further strengthened by the arriv'
al of United States troops.
Never have | seen such enthusiasm
such acclaim as greet our troops
Every American here is positively
w%orshiped by the Italians. 1t is EN-
barrassing to walk through the
streets.
At the celebrations in Paris and in
Italy every orator lauded President
| Wilson. our country and our soldiers
Our allies in Europe look upon ouI
nation as the savior of the world.
Food conditions in Italy are splen.
did. and a great crop is being har
vested. Much corn and wheat are
grown here.
In considering the part Italy has
played in the war we must remember
that, Notwithstanding it is n of the
oldest countries in the world, the pres
ent government is less than fifty
years old. In fact, up to 1870 the
Italian had never had a government
of his own Up to recent years the
country was engaged in fratricidaI
wars between the popes and anti
church parties.
The monarchies of Austria and Ger
many and France dealt with the Ital
ians as if they were a commodity, and
the peoples of the peninsula were
shifted about from one sovereignty
to another like pawns on a ches:
board. In 1860 Austria lost the states
of Lombardy and Venetit. and in 1870
the pope was Invested of his political
powers, losing control of the states
of the church, and Italy became a co
hesive government for the first time
1t must be remembered. also, thai
northeast Italy vas long a part O
Austria. and that many Germans anG
Greeks. who were of German extrac
ton, have for centuries invaded Italy
This means that there r many
sympathizers of the central powers
here. They are masking now under
the guise Of pacifists. and have made
trouble. The war. however, is rap
idly matchmaking the many divisions