New Britain herald., 1925-04-03

~' AAN'N WI hAN NNNiA lAA 1 body but not in spirit. He was in- sistent and repeated the magic | password to the palace: q want to sec the king, for whom I fought and bled." The adamant stare of the hcsi- tant guards melted before the steely eyes of the haggard figure. Per haps, if he is denied admittance, he or his friends may hatch violcnce, they thought. And perhaps re- sponsibility for an untoward hap pening might fall upon their own shoulders.
 So they notified the king of the unusual caller, keeping a prudent and critical scrutiny upon the bent form at the palace gate meanwhile.
 Word from the king was reassur- ing. The caller was given entry to the marble stairs. He gllmpsed the golden chandeliers; marvellous tap estry by ancient masters greeted his eye; bric-a-b brac of priceless value looked down upon him as if mimIcking the abject misery of such one as he,
 Reaching the spacious room of the king, the iron nerves of the veteran, which had never failed him in battle,. entirely collapsed. While In this reeling condition he but dimly comprehended that he shook the outstretched hand of the monarch -- his king, for whom he fought and bled.
 AS he gradually regained com- posture he was pleased to discover cordiality and friendship. whereas earlier he had quite expected cold and bored stare. An, he thought, the king then is not a superman above mere mortals; he is not one who cannot find time to sympathize with common soldiers.
 He was further impressed with the democracy of the king when the latter graciously asked him to sit beside him and relate his story.
 No king ever listened to 8 more pitiful tale. The man who had fought and blcd showed only too wildly the results of his mutila- tions. The king listened and looked intentIy and felt an overpowering human sympathy come over him such as comes during moments Of seeing keen suffering and mental distress. And so he learned that this poor, doddering, shell-slashed var-victim, uhable to make both ends meet, had been eyicted by his landlord.
 The king looked about him. How wonderful the palace; how rich 1T appointments; how surpassingIS great in it's magnificence. Yet it occupant, throughout the great war had never been In danger Of scratch. Safety and comfort sur rounded him while the poor crea ture before him had gone througl the hell-made travail, had bare' his body to the gIint of steel, hal been a human target for whist!in lead, And this for you, for. whom I fought and blcd," were word that echoed in the kings ears as to form & liturgy for his soul.
 The king, his heart touched, gay the veteran 10000 lire to purchas q cottage of his own, and 500 add tional lire to pay immediate e1
 ronses. And as the maimed ma
 hobblcd from the palace door til
 king stood motionlcss and in dee
 thought.
 This is not conventional ed
 torial, yielding a point of view suggesting a moral. If we were
 confine ourselves to editoriaiizlr upon this particular subject V
 should naturally have asked WI
 the Kingdom of Italy did not pr
 vide for its mutilated veterans,
 that it would not have been nece
 sary for one - not even the poo , est among the number - to mai ,n a test of courage and seek ent r., into the palace of royalty.
 And, had we written d customa
 editorial, We should have talk
 pains to inquire whether there a p, maincd veterans in this great cou ,o try of America who are no bet'
 off than the Italian soldier W =. gained surceasc of his sorrow ire - the king. And we are not sure l., the moment whether We could ha l.. answered that question entirely
 the negative,
 r, Uneasy lies the head that wei
 a crown" is an ancient adage.
 don't think, however, that this
 piled to the King of Italy last nlg