New-York tribune., 1919-10-11
The Flying Spy
Brilliant War Story
BY Daring Aviator

N miuo de- Ca carn e. l. rrans,assd @ from the
Ita'san by Maria sermo!ino. E. P. Dut-
toi. & Co.
The tremendous achievement that
Lieutenant de Carlo performed behind
the austrian lines in Italy las been
recognized by his government with
that rarest of all military decorations,
the Italian Gold Medal for Nalor.
The account that he has written Of
one of the most important feats of
individual heroism in the whole war is
an achievement only second to his
contribution to the Allied cause.
Lieutenant de Carlo by daring, keen
witted espionage obtained the plans of
the death throe" drive of Austria
against Italy, and through the smoke
Of the enemys preparatory lombard
ment sent carrier pigeons winglng back
to his own army with the outline of the
coming attack.
By his sure sense Of color and ap-
probation of dramatic values he has
given to the literature of the war one
of it's most noteworthy volumes.
For Lieutenant de Carlo, who has
lived romance, has also the rare gift
of writing that elusive lady as he him.
self has known her. His book is one
that will thrill not only Italian hearts
deeds nobly done.
From the rather unfortunate title to
the last page the book is filled with
amazing things, written amazingly we'll
1t is fortunate that Major General
Emilio Guglielmotti, military attache
of the Italian Embassy at Washington.
has written an introduction vouching
for the authenticity of the volumes
contents. For at times they sound like
the work of some glorifed Italian +.
Phillips Oppcnheim
This young Italian aviator. in look
ing upon The war and his nation
part in it, sees beyond the bloody sweat
of present human suffering and over
looks the squalor of the present to
write of ltaly's struggle as FroiSsart
wrote the deeds of chivalry.
For him, Italy is something more
than an ideal or mere country. Italy
is his mother, and he writes Of her as
a son might write. And Venice, before
which the Italian line held, is his
sweetheart, and of her he speaks as a
passionate lover
From farewell visit to his beloved
city Lieutenant de Carlo embarked by
airplane on his perilous enterprise;
was deposited with a comradc behind
the Austrian line. and for weeks follow
ing lived the precarious life of spy.
His companion was captured and he
was hunted across the country side.
But he outwittcd his pursuers, and the
information he sent back to the Italian
army helped overthrow the Hapsburg
empire.
The story of this almost unbelievable
achievement is told by an artist, who,
freed from the Ang lo-SaXon curse of
sclf-cOnsciOusness can write OF his
own achievements naiVely and without
becouding their splendor with false
modesty.
Now and again there is Il passage in
the splendid story that seems almost
too fine to have happened in this war
dirtied world. While sinking through
town near the Austrian line Lieu
tenant de Carlo sees an Italian girl
shot down for her repulse of a Bosnian
officer
"As though turned to stone l stood
still a long time contemp ating her.
In courtyard nearby red rose bush
rose gave forth it's fragrance. plucked
the white rose, two large red ones and
with few green leaves | placed them
near the corpse. Our soldiers were
buried enveloped in tho tricolor, and
this young martyr should receive from
the hands OF an Italian officer the COM
fort and honor of the tricoIor.'
1t is too bad that Lieutenant de Carlo
could not have contrived TO win addi
tional honors on the other batte fronts
and then to. write for the entire cause
of the Allies an Interpretation and APP
preciatiOn as inspiring as The Flying
Spy" is toward Italy S part in the con-
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