The Nome nugget., 1928-03-03


 growing gray at the temples. He walks with head slightly bent for ward. the sign of . meditative mind. His manner Is that Of a man. sure of his own will. A psy- cologist would find in him capabil- ities. of surmounting the most diff ficult crises by force of com polling personality"
 Diaz's emery has been describ- ed as volcanic. It was said that he combined with great personal pride an abhorrence of lame ex- cuses and was intolerant of petty personal squabbles, thus making him not only loved but also fear ed by his men. An inhexible dis ciplinarian in actual soldering. he clamped the same rules upon him. self that he applied to others. Pun ctilious in dress. his face bronzed by campaigning, Diaz looked ''ev- cry inch a soldier" One trifling physical lefect-he was very slight ly cross -eyed-was hailed as an omen of good luck by the Italian troops as the superstition was hand ed down to them by the Latins of old.
 It seems that in every crisis con- fronting a democratic nation that the man of destiny" appears. Af- ter the Caporetto disaster all Italy looked for this man to save it from threatened bondage and ruin. Diaz had been secretary to three chiefs of the General Staff.
 The memorable defeat of the Second Italian Army-one of the three forces operating against the Germans and Australians west of the 1sonzo threatened to demor- alize the fighting deficiency of It. aly's 3.0O0,OOO men. The appoint ment of Lieutenant General Diaz as commander in chief on Novem- Der g. 1917 soon set at rest the false hopes of the enemy for the collapse of the Italian front. He filled his soldiers with fresh ardor for victory.
 During the first three days of his new position as the successor of Cadorna, 1t was said of him, he carried out miracles" which few of his highest officers would have ! dared to undertake. While the Austro- German avalanche was rushing precipitousiy toward the city of the gendolier. with it's priceless works of art. General Diaz, familiar with all the details of the Italian General Stairs plans for venice's defense-he had been head of the war office from May. 1915. to June 191s-gave the or ders for blocking the passage of , the enemy across the Piave River. It was a time for great dejection war correspondents said and yet the doughty Neapolitan rallied his forces by the very magic of as- surance. Confident of victory, his energy was contagious. The Aus trian tide was stemmed at the Pi- ave as he planned.
 A virtual stalemate existed there after on the Italian front for near ly a year. during which General Diaz was reforming. strengthening and rejuvenating his armies. in- stilling spirit of confidence and victory.
 Then in October. 1918. he struck the blow that broke the Austrian front. drove a great wedge into the Austrian line and sent the Austrian armies reeling back in rout with losses of thousands Of men and hundreds of guns. The pride Of Austria went down in defeat and was humbled in the dust. Within a week after the beginning of the Italian offensive the Austrians ask ed for peace. By November an armistice was signed and Austria's part in the war was ended. "It- alia Irridenta" had been redeemed. At the head of his troops. Gen eral Diaz. made a triumphal en- sNusf