The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-17
SAN MhRINO At THE
PEACE DECISIONS
by Robert weIIcs Ritchie.

10y ktUU0IN "eifeS kklUCilft.
Paris, Feb. Stake II on the word
OF Luigi Farchesi, there will be no
just and enduring peace that does not
first have the unqualified sanction
Of the free and Independent republic
OF San Marine Luigi knows. because
Luigi is--or thinks he is, which
amounts almost to the same thing
diplomatic representative of San Mar
tno in Paris.
He Is also a barber.
While Luigi was shaving me this
AsaoyI<sAYfs ,H1@ ASapEe>-~~ jp,ss kpd taoxnA 10
the point or 1dranciing me Win. four
teen kinds OF perfumes he discussed
the weighty OF questions If world
peace. tho League OF Nations. free
dom OF the seas, indemnit1es and the
rights Of small nauons--all from the
Son Marine point of view. I did not
havethe heart to ask him where and
what San Mario IL. After / had
broken away from his chair and
washed my face all over again l
looked on a map and after diligent
search discovered the republic which
Luigi has the honor to represent It's
down around Italy somewhere; /
cannot DO more specific because a
large 20" on the map almost blotted
out the sovereign realm OF San Ma
rino and the "O' did not belong to
San Marine at that
I'VE. as one of the Allies. win have
a seat at the council table which Is
to decide the peace Of the world"
said Luigi as he put velvet edge
on the razor. TT Is our right"
Indubitably.- I murmured Though
tho lather.
Undoubtedly /. as diplomatic rep
reeentative of my country, will be its
ambassador at the peace conference,
said the plenipotentiary with an air
OF carefully suppressed pride.
Charming" was the only comment
I could make with propriety. Luigi
took the initial down stroke with teh
hand of Disraeii.
Il shall support each and every one
OF your NJ. Wilson's fourteen points
the Machiaveili OF Marine continued.
judiciously. Though, of course, I an
ttcipate there will be grave divergence
OF opinion on the subject of the free
dom of the seas. England. for ex-
Fample"--
And the navy OF San Marino?" I
interpreted. wishing to show that I
was well posted on all this Euro pean
diplomatic stuff. Luigis razor almost
slipped.
MATS non. m'steur. San Marine has
no navy. 1t is an inland republic.
Quite So: pardon. / was confus-
ing your country with Switzer land
for moment Purely a slip OF the
tongue"
''As to the Swiss. I cannot speak OF |
their attitude on the freedom of the !
seas" the diplomatic barber contin- |
ued, quite Modified. But as a re- !
ward OF my country's arraying itself
on the side OF the Allies--the side OF
right and justice, m'sieur. against
hrYl fal rA ~
some thing; how shall l say It? A |
recufication of the boundaries of San !
Marine, let US put it, !
Beyond the shadow of a doubt"
whispered. as Luigi renewed the sur |
face coating of lother compounded of
old country soap and goose grease. F.!
Your brave army at the Marne"-i
Pardon the correction, ms ieur. our
army never was at the Marne. though |
1t was at all times ready after the
declaration of war to shed its blood
for the cause of liberty Ours is a
small army. but va1orous-valorous"
"A division?" ! ventured.
Hardly division, m sieur. On
war footing our army numbers 100
men. including the general staff and
the newly added artillery arm"
Artillery All. that sounds bust
ness like"
you speak truth. m'sieur. 1t would
be business-like If it had the oppor-
tunity. You see. m'sieur, King En-
manuel of Italy gave our army It's
artillery last year-one magnificent
field piece OF the very latest Italian
model But The Ambassador ex-
traordinary held towel poised as
1T caught In some sad reflection.
Truth Is. m'sieur, we have no OPP
portunity to use that artillery be-
cause II shoots 50 far. You under
stand. m'sieur, this modern field piece
is of power most extraordinary,
one canpot contrive TO shoot 1t with
out having the shell go several miles
and
But So much the better TRIED
to encourage. The longer the range
the more valuable
Alas. m'steur fails to comprehend.
|If we should shoot that artillery in
San Marine the shell would fall OF
Italian territory. and, you conpre-
bend. m'sieur( we would technically
be warning on Italy"
There was a long pause. during
which time my mouth fortuitously
was smothered in a towel. When the
i'm pediment was removed ventured
a suggestion:
"Just as an example, supposing
your republic should include In It's
terms of peace an arrangement with
italy for target practise with the San
Marine artillery
You take the words out of my
mou.h-prof, like that. m'sisur." said
Luigi Farchesi, ambassador OF San
Marine. 'Assuredy. that shah be in
cluded in San Marines peace proto-
col"