The sun., 1919-01-05
Complete Understanding on
League of Nations Said
to Be Reached.
ROME WILD OVER HIM
President Wanted to Speak
to Populace, but Arrange
ments Interfered.
BEGINS RETURN TO PARIS
Eager Now for Peace Confer
ence to Open-Not Over
sanguine.
BEGINS RETURN TO PARIS
ny LAURENCE HILLS.
Star Correspondent Of THE suIs.

Copyright. 1915 all riohfs rsssrUeA
ROME, Jan. 4.-President Wilsonb
visit to Pope Benedict to-day was
without any suggestion Of the embar-
rassments which 1t had been feared
In some quarters might develop out
Of this, the most delicate political
situation in Italy and which other
distinguished visitors have found ~
set with thorns.
His two days here have been sI-
ceedingly busy and SO far as can BE-
Judged highly successful. It Is un-
lerstood that complete understand
ing has been reached with the Italinn
Government in regard TO the league
Of nations The President left 10
night for Paris with the intention Of
making brief stops at Genoa ssS
Turin.
President Greatly Impressed.
The President has been greatly H.
pressed by the warmth and cordially
| of the demonstrations which have
marked his visit, which, according to
| his own simile, seemed like one peo-
pie speaking to another. as they were
the counterparts of the greetings he
received in Paris and London.
He intimates that he Is unable yet
to gauge the effects upon the peace
conference OF these remarkable dem
Onstrations OF public opinion as they
are too near and too recent, but hero
and elsewhere he has tried to catch
the voices Of the crowd and has been
surprised by the unanimity with
7 which these voices acclaim the league
Of nations. The great problem now ~
how this can he translated into def
| mite action NJ the peace table.
There will be no more visits before
! the peace conference, according to the
understanding here. that to Brussels
coming at later date. The Presi-
| dent Is eager TO get down to business:
, he gives the impression that he Is not
Oversnnguine Of immediate results.
as he realizes fully the difficulties In
the way, but he Is hopeful that the
conference will produce something
that will meet the popular desires
He is strongly opposed to anything
savoring Of the former balance OF
power" or the Clemenceau proposal
and is enger, therefore, to get tho
statesmen on record around the peace
table in order to determine what rs8i
effects his visits have had.
Hailed by the People.
Past the monuments Of ancient
| Rome the President rode to-day hailed
by the people of the Eternal City as
the foremost champion of democracy.
The spirit animating the populace waB
one of expectancy. Rome has hailed
| many ConQuerorS, but to-day its &C
claim was for one who promised de--
! liveranCe, the preacher of a new gos-
! pei come from the new world, from
which so many of ItAly'S sons had re
turned, to lay the foundations OF r.
new Pax Romano thar was to III
| from them the haunting fear of fu-
| tur" war
Curiosity aroused by the new Mes.
Siah WIS mingled with the war spirit,
Italian nationnliSm, the pride Of Italy
in her military achievements, tbs
! popular desire for recognition Of Ital
| ian claims by the distinguished visitor
On his ride to the Quirinal the Presi-
dent passed in the VIA Nazionalo
many banners with the names of con
quercd territories, including Fiume
which is claimed also rs the Slavs.
II is the spirit Of democracy with
which nil Italy is vibrating now and
which the people feel links them
closely with America IT 10 this
democratic spirit that caused the pee
pie to greet President Wilson not NJ
a ruler or c0nQueror hut aS the leadel
Of democracy. Larger crowds cheereu
him in Paris and London. hut here
where the centuries looked down
upon him, the demonSt ration seemed
10 spring more than In those othe-
capitals from devotion to n cause. and
the champion of democracy was sc.
claimed with vivaS along the whole
route, If the hopes of the people are
not realized the disap. ointment hers
will he profound.
Picturesque Features.
1t was a picturesque progress
through the ancient world capita
with picturesque MEDIEVAL costume
mingling with those of tO-dat undc~