Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-02-03
ITALIANS FOUND
AMERICAN ~" MEN
WORTHY or HONOR

~
me doughty little Italian soldiers of
the Fourth Army had Leen lighting for
almost four years when suddenly there
appeared III their midst some AIneri-
cans with FL C j.. on their sleeves
and i strange propensity scr doiig
kind things for t.le soldiers .rss
there were the Case del Soidato, the
Italian equivalent for Foyers du Sol
dat beautifully frescoed buildings
with desks and newspapers and nlsisi-
al instruments for the tired and lone
IN fighters. Then there began 70 hs
reyeis, parties with free cigarettes AMI
chocolate. md conssres with nohp ast
less than the great Bonei or Tefraz-
zinni 10 sing And BY this time the
Italians stopped wondering why the
newcomers had come and had settled
down 10 q devotion to the Imcas as
they called the ~. men that never
abated.
Charles Underwood Of Cambridge
Mass, d professor Of languages In
simmons College during peace, but A
i'.Y' secretary when the var was on,
has just returned to this country 10
tell or the glory Of the Italian soldiers
as he saw them In the war zone and
incidentally or the work Of the Red
Triangle among those troops. Mr. TIM
derwood was with the Army OF the
Grappa first and later with the lst
army
They are the most patient soldiers
iii the world. he says enthusiastically .
and the most supple. And their
arditi tshock tro6psl are the finest
in the world. The sarditi are all vol
unteers. and sheer devils for courage.
speed and strength The gratitude Of
the italian soldier to people who did
things for them Is almost abject They
worshipped the Y secretaries, and
every one Of us has trunkful Of
testimonials and gifts, souvenirs and
treasures that they pressed upon US TO
try to show their gratitude Italy was
very poor you know and the Italian
soldiers were not well fed and were
cold most OF the time They looked
upon the Y III, Ct a men as angels
from heaven
Mr. Underwood EinGelf was not only
ia fayorite with the soldiers but with
the Italian government for he was dec
GRATED twice receiving the Croce di
Guerra and the Cavaliere della Corona
Italia and ne was also given the
Italian service stripe MI @
workers in Italy were offered commits
sions By both the American and Itai-
ian governments. but they remained
uncommissioned because they wanted
10 be able to sit at table and mingle
with privates as well as officers. Their
working rank in Italy, however. was
above that Of colonel.
The frescoes on the walls Of the
Italian Case del Soldato were per-
Eliaps the most important feature Of the
service buildings in Italy. The Italian
still loves his art even il ne Is IN the
midst of d battle. Mr. Underwood says,
and SO the walls we're decorated In
beautiful colors and designs. Musical
instruments were also much ID demand
for there isn't an Italian who cant
play some instrument Mandolins and
guitars were supplied BY the ~ III
quantities and a few precious violins
were secured
II was at the great american past
time, football, however. that the Ital-
ian soldiers proved themselves the
greatest artists OF all, according to Mr.
UnderWood's experience. For the ~
staged many games between Italian
teams and teams from the American
regiment and the Italians could beat
even the crack American teams at
their own game