Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-04
THE PRESIDENTS REPLY.

"Your majesty: l 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, l am
sure they could constitute an ade-
quate reply.
II had occasion at the parliament
this afternoon to- speak of the
strong sympathy that had sprung
up between the United States and
Italy during the terrible years of
the war, but perhaps here l can
speak more Intimately and say
how sincerely the people of the
United States had admired your
own course and your own con-
slant association with the ar
mics of Italy, and the gracious
and generous and serving aSSocia-
ton of her majesty, the queen.
U. S. Pride in Italians in Army.
1T has been a matter of pride
SO many men of Italian origin,
were in our own armies and asso-
ciated with their brethren in Italy
Itself in the great enterprise of
freedom. These are no small mat
terS, and they complete that proc
eSs of the welding together of
the sympathies of nations which
has been going on so long be-
tween our peoples.
The Italians in the United
States have excited particular
degree of admiration They, | be-
lieve, are the only people of a
given nationality who have been
careful to organize themselves to
see that their compatriots COM
ing to America were from month
10 month and year to year guided
TO places in industries most suit
able to their previous habits No
other nationality has taken such
pains as that and in serving their
IeiioW countrymen they have
served the United States, because
these people have found places
where they would be most useful
and would most Immediately earn
their own living and add to the
prosperity of the country itself.
Happy in Associations.
In every war we have been hap
py in our association at home and
abroad with the people of this
great state. j was saying play
fully to Premier Orlando and
Baron Sonnino this afternoon that
In trying to put the people of the
world under their proper SoVer-
eighties we would not be willing
to part with the Italians in the
United States because we too much
value the contribution that they
have made, not only to the in
dustry of the United States. but to
its thought and to many elements
of it's life.
This is. therefore, a very well
come occasion upon which to ex-
press a feeling that goes very
deep. ! was touched the other day
to have an Italian. a very plain
man, say to me that we had helped
to feed Italy during the war. and
1t went to my heart. because we
had been able to do SO little. 1t
was necessary for us to use our
tonnage so exclusively for the
handling of troops and of the sup
plies that had to follow them from
the United States that we could
not do half as much as it was our
desire to do to supply grain to this
country, OF coal, or any OF the
supplies which it so much needed
during the progress of the war.
Praises the Steadfast.
And knowing as we did In this
indirect way the needs of the coun-
try, we will not wonder that we
were moved by its steadfastness.
My heart goes out to the little,
poor families all over this great
kingdom who stood the brunt and
the strain of the war and gave
their. men gladly to make other
men free and other women and
other children free. These are the
people and many like them to
whom after all we owe the glory
of this great achievement, and I
want to join with you, for l am
sure of joining with you. in ex-
pressing not only my profound
sympathy. but my very profound
admiration as well.
1T is my privilege and honor to
propose the health of his majesty
the king and her majesty the
queen. and long prosperity to
Italy,