Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-13
ITALIAN KING SHOWS KEEN
MEMORY AND GOOD HUMOR
Meeting Forty Years Ago Recalled in
Brief Interview With American, Who
Finds Emmanuel Hospitable.

sentatives he wore the theatrical cos
tune of cuirassier and his eloquence
was not the persuasion of q Cicero, but
arther the tone of a commander de-
mandtng contributions of a conquered
province.
Mussolini is one OF trinity, in which
the two others are very important;
refer to the Pope and the King, Bis
marck also was one in a trinity that
included William and the great
Moltke. But his venerable King was
largely silent or sleeping partner, and
Moltke never meddled in politics.
1t Is not easy to measure the political
power of Mussolini unless at the same
time we understand thoroughly the feel
ing of the italian masses in favor of
their Pope and also their King. These
are imponderable forces and sometimes
misunderstood by us who worship every
new President from the hour of his in
auguration, and eject him, after one or
two terms, into Scandalous desuetude.
Victor Emmanuel III is popular fig
ure-dignified, affable and keenly alive
to matters affecting the welfare of his
country. Moreover, he is the living
labarum, or standard, about which is
grouped all that stands for United Italy.
In our last presidential election Mr.
Hoover won by an overwhelming popu-
lar majority because he represented in
America the liberal and tolerant max
inns which the people of Italy honor in
their monarch.
Carnegie's Gifts Discussed.
We spoke of the Vatican library and
the vast sums which the Carnegie Fund
for Peace Endowment was giving to the
Pope in order that he should at last
make a catalogue of his books and
manuscripts. The King had met the
Pittsburgh iron master, but laughed
very much on learning that Carnegie
was an aggressively noisy atheist.
OF course he expressed no opinions.
Kings learn much, for they meet many
people of many different countries and
varying professions. A royal flash of
silence betrays an opinion at rare in
tervalS. We gather a friends feeling in
regard to third person by what he
fails to say when name is mentioned
but would 1t be fair to repeat our own
conjectures?
To His Majesty of Italy I expressed
regret that these Carnegie millions were
being given to one whose dogma de-
nounced every free and public library,
and regretted still more that this
American money had not been given to
the government Of Italy, to be by them
disbursed under suitable guarantees.
OF course, the American historian
wishes catalogue of the Vatican Lii
brary, but what he wishes even more
tervently is guaranty that all scholars
OF every country and every creed shall
nave reasonable access to these treas
ures. The papal court cannot give such
guaranty.
In America the word Roman Cath
olc means other than in such Catholic
states as Italy or France The pious
European may consider himself an ex-
cellent member of the Apostolic Church.
yet oppose its infallible head on several
points: This Is bit paradoxial, but I
have lately seen many things to illus
trate a seeming anomaly.
Come with me into any governmental
bureau in Rome where the officials are
all Catholic-you will see pictures of
the King and also of Mussolini, but so
lar I have not noticed one of the Pope
Victor Ideal King.
This interview with Victor Emmanuel
III may disappoint you, but less so after
careful second reading. The great
monarchs of history are not the bril-
liant makers OF Speeches-or even those
who attempt radical reforms. Queen
Victoria fills an enviable space in mod
ern times because she was honest and
motherly and moderate. Her grand
SON, WulldIn II, was vastly more DILL
liant than either of his grandparents,
but he did not procure capable subordi-
mates and moreover carried frankness
to the verge of recklessness.
Victor Emmanuel III Is an ideal King,
both In his carriage and his mode of
speech; he measures his words and yet
avoids the manner of one cultivating
reticence. Those who would regard
him as minor factor in Roman unity
and progress are likely to repent their
haste. Italy is just now passing through
a period Of momentous regeneration, if
not revolution, and her success, up to
the present, is due to the moderation,
tact and energy of her extraordinary
trinity-Mussolini, the great minister:
Plus XII, as head of the church. and
Victor Emmanuel, standard bearer of
unity and progress.