The Washington herald., 1920-01-07

ed that King Victor would or might
resign, choosing the Duke Of Aosta
az his successor. The story was pat
emily absurd to anyone knowing the
method and the aim OF Italian and
/ European politics. The present KING
will hold his job until he is forced
out. Then. like Nitti. he would like
to be the first president Of the Italian
Republic.
Politically speaking, the Duke OF
Aosta Is small man with a big wiie.
He undoubtedly wouldn't object to
having kingly honbrs thrust upon him.
Many believe that she could be In
trigued to seek queenly ones. The
Duchess OF Aosta is a bigger and a
more effective woman than queen
Elena. She Is a French aristocrat
| being former Princess of Orleans.
Victor Is thought to have married be-
meath him, and before the war Queen
Elena was widely known in Italy as
THE Montenegrin shepherd girl"
4 But any movement for n new king
was either French intrigue or d An
nunzio bluff, or possibly both. 1taly's
reigninS family must be occasionally
warned" France has an iron In one
fl e. and d'Annunzio in another. VIC
tor might have been careless or SEEM
ingly careless with the House OF
Savoy's fire extinguisher.
A Cracked Idol.
Debts habitually collect in d'Annun-
zio's wake, and d'Annunzio's thrcne
at Fiume is apparently shifting In the
quick sands of economic chaos. This
would partly account for the report
that the municipal council of Fiume
voted. A to 4, against d'Annunzlo'
continued occupation of the city. The
icOuncil. however. has since reversed
itself and d'AnnunZio and his men are
again cocks of the Fiume walk.
The Roman government probably
manipulated both elections. contra
dieting the first decision after Glenn
! enceau's public and implicit denunci-
alton of Itnly's claim to this Adriatic
seaport. For neither the King nor
! Nitti would dare to seek d'Annunzio's s
/ ousting il there were the slightest
probability Of the city's permanent
loss to Italy On the wclls OF Italian
realism Fiume is writt-o, in6elibly.
Italy is determined that in the long
or short run, Fiume like Triest will
be Italian.
However, in ItaIy's popular mind
ld'Annunzio himself is at bottom a
cracked idol. The gilt OF glory will
not stick on forever. and time is GER
tain to reveal the cracks again. In
their enthusiasms for individuals the
Italians are an impulsive and a pas
sionate, not q fixed and steady people.
Moreover. the Italians can never quite
forgive d'Annunzio for his shabby
treatment Of Duse. He incurred their
Iundying criticism. not because he be-
Itrayed a woman but because he killed
an artist.
with withered Hands.
Duse's genius went out like an un-
fed fame. when her lover rudely toss
ed her into his pile of sexual discards.
Popularity, Italy's artists are much
too sacred for such proclamation. When
Duse failed. even in the movies. dan
nunzio become a branded man. A
few years ago 1 saw Duse in a pic
ture at Rome. She was a miserable
old woman with withered hands.
Those hands once ran the gamut OF
emotional expression and made dra-
matte history. Today. they tell moth
ing and look only old age.
Later 1 was a silent spectator at a
little drama in Udine. the military
headquarters Of Cadorna's army be-
fore the black days of Caporetto.
d'Annunzio and Duse were again the
players. although momentarily uncon'
scious OF each others role. Dashins
out from a corner cafe. the poet-avia-
tor came face to face with Italy's
most beloved actress. Her bearing
was superb; her acting a final tri-
umph. She never saw him. but con-
tinued on her way with a natural and
dignified motion. Never once did she
look back. but he gazed after her, a
little sadly. apparently. until she was
we'll out OF sight.
Duse was going to barracks to at
tempt n scene from one Of her old
successes. The soldiers who saw her
said that flashes OF her former art
frequently shot out from her per-
formance.
That White Hot Book.
D'Annunzio's epic descent on Fiume
caught and stirred the imagination OF
Duse. Notwithstanding the poverty
and humiliation he had caused her
she instantly forgave him everything
it is said. But one thing surely she
can never forget-that white hot book
of his, which told the story of theiI
amour to the world. Harassed by
debts and not having France to play
financial angel, d'Annunzio wrote and
dramatized his burnt out passion
for a few thousand dollars.
John HearIey's article In
The Washington Herald tomor-
row will describe the present
direction of Italian diplomacy.
How allied intrigue mny throw
| Italy back into the hands of
Germany. King Nictor's mn
noeuvers to save his throne by
appointing Nitti ms premier and
Germany, King Nictor's ma
nipuIatiOn of Italy's political
parties are interestly de-
scribed.)