Evening star., 1923-01-14
Diplomats Career
One of Great and
Varied ActiUity.
Comes From Famed
Line of Leaders in
Church and State.


ambassador to the United States,
who recently presented his creden-
,tials here Probably no diplomat
ever came to this capital who had a
more varied and more unusual career
than this youthful Italian. who. like
Herbert Hoover, is mining engineer
by profession, and who has been
closely associated with that diStin-
,guished American executive.
In the ninth century, not great
while after the final fall of. Rome,
he forefathers Of Don Gelasio were
dukes of the city of Gaeta. At the
beginning Of the eleventh century
John Caetani. of that family, was
elected pope and assumed the name
~lzS:o II. In 1894 the famous
Benedetto Caetani ascended the
papal throne as Boniface VIII. one
OF the great popes OF the middle
ages, famed for his strenuous strug-
gle with King Philip lie Bel OF
France, and also for being the i'm
placable enemy of the poet Dante.
the family entered into a phase of
even greater power than heretofore,
and has since been distinguished by
a long line Of leaders in warfare, in
that house commanded the papal
forces in the famous battle OF Lee
panto against the Turks.
Brother Married American.
In the struggles for united Italy the
Caetanis took an active part. When
Rome was captured in 1870 Michelan-
gelo, grandfather of the present am
ernor of the capital city, and 1t was he
who presented to King Victor Emmanuel
] the plebiscite of the new capital. The
ambassadors father, Onorato, Duke Of
Sermoneta, was a representative and
senator of the kingdom for more than
forty years and was also mayor of
Rome.
/, The ambassadors elder brother, who
is Prince of Teano and present Duke
of Sermoneta, is highly distinguished
oriental scholar and is the author of
ANNALS OF Islam" an important con-
tribution to scientific research in that
field.
Mother Was English.
Tho second brother, Bassiano, Is
talented composer and musician, whose
wife was Miss Margaret Chaplin, an
American. The third brother, Don
Jivio, chose a diplomatic career and
had attained the post of minister when
he volunteered in the world war, later
10. lose his life in the defense OF his
country. The youngest brother, Michel
angelo, served in the war as an aviator,
while a sister, Donna Giovannella, mar
ried Baron Grenier. minister Of Bel
gium. The ambassadors mother was an
Englishwoman, Miss Wilbraham, niece
OF Lord Derby.
Although the city ruled by his an
cestors was Gaeta. the present members
of the family have preferred the spell
ing of the name as Caetani, although
since Don Gelasio'S arrival here 1t has
appeared in print both ways.
Interesting and varied as Is the
history of the family. the career of
the present ambassador, through his
own individual efforts, is no less so.
His illustrious origin and great
wealth in no wise prevented him
from longing to make his own way
by tenacious. personal work. Since
his carly youth he has devoted him
self to the study of engineering.
Worked as Engineer.
Born in 1877 he graduated IN 1901
as civil engineer at the Royal Uni
versity, Rome, and shortly after, at
tho advice of the late Hennen Jen-
nings of this city, entered the School
of Mines at Columbia University, New
York. He graduated two years later
once to Idaho. where he obtained his !
first practical experience in mining |
and milling. He began as an ordt- !
nary workman and gradually worked |
his way up until, as assistant to. the |
president of the company, he under |
took various mining examinations in /
this country and in Mexico. Next he !
went to California and to the Tread !
well mine in Alaska, where he worked |
under ground, performed exploration |
and development work, and made a |
survey of the larger part of Tread |
we'll Island. The next winter found !
him making plans for hydro-electrfc |
plant at Taku inlet.
Next he was called back to the |
Idaho mineR where he had started |
and to Colorado and Mexico, per-
forming important work in all three |
localities. Having gained much prac-
he had title then he left it at home) |
formed a firm of consulting engi-
neers with two San Franciscans, AL
bert Burch and Oscar Hershey, which
was connected with such well known
concerns as the Goldfeld, the Con-
solidated, Vanadium, Mountain Cop
per and the Plymouth. He designed
and built the ore dressing plants for
the last two mines; specialized in
rnetallurgy; contributed to the min
ing and scientific press, and lectured
at Harvard University.
offered Services to Hoover.
The European war broke out and
he hastened home. He had been ac-
Quainted with Herbert Hoover, at
that time head of the American COM
mittee for Belgian relief. He offered
his services to the present cabinet
organized an Italian committee. Dur
ing this period occurred the terrible
Avezzano earthquake, and he also or
ganized special relief expedition to
dileNldle IndL ulSdSIeT.
Just prior to the declaration of war
between Italy and Austria he volun-
teered as a lieutenant of engineers,
and was assigned to the mountain |
district of Col di Lana. This for
midable peak, 10000 feet high, was
one of the strongest positions Of the
Austrians in the Alps. The Italians, |,
in q ten-months' struggle to can
ture 1t, lost over 10000 men. It was
taken April II, 1916, however, when
mi w,1o 4
a gigantic mine, destroying the entire
garrison
Next Lieut.. Caetani went to Mace
donia, then returned to the famous
Carso plateau. He fought with the
Cd Aromy during the retreat of
Caporetto and helped organize tile
defenses along, the Piave and the
Mobtello rivers. For two months he
was also assigned to the British
troops.
Health Breaks Down.
Following continuous first-line
service of thirty-six months, the
health of the young officer broke down
and he was seriously i'll for several
months. Recovered. he attended the
Paris conference and again cooper
ated with Mr.. Hoover in supplying
food for both Italy and Austria
Prince Caetani gave up all idea Of
returning to the United States, ow-
ing to the upset conditions in Italy,
and devoted himself to agriculture
on his estates in the Pontine marshes
south of Rome. In 1920 he was elect
ed to the municipal council, and, being
first chosen on the list, was desis-
mated mayor of Rome, the Office filled
by his illustrious grandfather He
found himself, however, unable to ac-
cept the place. In 1921 he was elect
ed nationalist deputy, in which ca
pacity he upheld the program OF the
and fascist parties.
AS an enthusiastic supporter Of the
n a ffonal movement headed hy Musso /