New-York tribune., 1919-01-05

a citizen of Rome to-day, President
"You have done me a very great
honor. Perhaps you can imagine
what feeling it is for a citizen of
one of the newest of the great ma
tions to be made citizen of this
ancient city. 1t is distinction
which | am sure you are comforting
upon me as representative of the
great people for whom | speak. One
who has been a student Of history
cannot accept an honor of the sort
without having his memory run back
to the extraordinary series of events
which have centred in this place.
"But as have thought to-day I
have been impressed by the contrast
between the temporary and pcrma-
nent things. Many political changes
have centred about Rome, from the
time when from little city she grew
to be mistress of a great empire.
Change after change has swept away
many things, altering the very form
of her affairs, but the thing that has
remained permanent has been the
spirit of Rome and the Italian people.
That spirit seems to have caught
with each age the characteristic pur-
pose of the age.
"This imperial people now gladly
represents the freedom of nations.
This people, which at one time
seemed to conceive the purpose of
governing the world, now takes part
in the liberal enterprise of Offering
the world its own government. Can
there be finer or more impressive
illustration of the indestructible hu-
man spirit and of the uncomfortable
spirit of liberty?
81 have been rejecting in these re-
cent days about a colossal blunder
which has been made-the blunder OF
force by the Central Empires. II
Germany had waited a single genera
ton she would have had a CONNER
cial empire of the world. She was
President Wilson qvas the ques
at the Quirioaal tonight. There ace
Emmanuel and By Nh. Wilson. II
"You, yourself, Mr.. President, are
become our welcome and pleasing
guest only to-day, but in the con-
science of our people your personality
already for long time has inscribed
itself in an ineffaceable way. 1t is
that which in itself gathers all the
powers which go to stimulate will
bent on liberty and justice and gives
inspiration toward the highest con-
ception of the destines of humanity.
The enthusiastic salutations which
have accompanied your passage
through the streets of Rome today
are attestations of the sentiments of
admiration and recognition that your
own name and labor and the name
and labor of the United States stir in
the Italian people. The principles in
which you in magnificent synthesis
have summed up the ideal reasons of
the war for liberty find resonance
in Italian hearts.
"The best traditions Of Italian cult
ure, the livelicst currents of our ma
tional thoughts, have constantly
aimed at the same ideal goal-toward
the establishment of the interna-
tional peace for which you have with
tenacious faith stood. Already be-
fore the vicssitudes Of war and the
fraternity of armies had established
to-day's admirable communion of in
tentlons and purposes between our
two countries legions of our workers
had emigrated to your great Republic.
They had knitted America and Italy
together with strong cords of rela-
tionships, and these became rein
forced by the spiritual affinity be-
tween both peoples, who had a COM
mon faith in the virtue of free DO
lltical government.
"When Italy entered into the war. a
breath, a precursor Of the American
soul, penetrated into the rank and
file of our army through the means
of our workers who returned to the
fatherland from America and brought
into Italy an echo of their second
patrla SO, correspondingly, the Ital-
ian soul vibratcd in the hearts of our
In reply, President Wilson sn
"Your Majesty: | have been very
much touched by the generous terms
of the address you have just read. I
feel it would be difficult for me to
make worthy reply, and yet if
could speak simply the things that
are in my heart | am sure they could
constitute an adequate reply.
II had occasion at the Parliament
this afternoon to speak of the stronr