erent nations to make peace, but his voice was
unheeded and the war continued "until the terrible conflagration has
extended to our beloved Italy. While our hearts bleed at the sight of
so much misery," he wrote, "we have not neglected to continue our work
for relief and the diminution of the deplorable consequences of war. I
wish that the echo of our voice might reach to all our children
affected by the great scourge of war, and persuade all of them of our
participation in their troubles and sorrows. There is little of the
grief of the child that is not reflected in the soul of the father."

The greatest enthusiasm, naturally, was manifested in the cities of
the north nearest the scene of war. The Master Workers' Guild of Milan
voted unanimously to give up one day's pay each month to be devoted to
the relief of the families of men at the front. Many business houses
carried soldiers' names on their payrolls and remitted their wages to
their families.

In all cities within range of the enemy's aircraft precautions were
taken to guard public buildings, and especially the famous objects
which for centuries had made Italy the Mecca of lovers of art. In
Venice the bronze horses of St. Mark's were taken down from their
pedestals and hidden in the subterranean caverns of the cathedral. The
gilded statue of the Virgin surmounting the celebrated white marble
cathedral at Milan was covered with cloth, so that it might not serve
as a guide to Austrian raiders. The stained glass windows of the
edifice were removed as a precaution against possible bombardment.
After the first Austrian sea and air raid along the Adriatic coast
orders were issued that lights should be darkened in all Adriatic
ports. This order was extended also to certain inland cities, such as
Milan, Bologna, Verona, Brescia, and Udine. A special watch for
aeroplanes was kept at Bologna on account of the location there of an
important factory for the manufacture of explosives. Watches were set
on the crests of the Appenines ready to notify Rome of approaching
danger from the air.

The attitude of Germany toward Italy at this period of the war is best
indicated by the speech delivered at the session of the Reichstag by
Dr. von Bethmann-Hollweg, the Imperial Chancellor. He imputed the
Italian declaration of war to a combination of mob dictation, bad
faith on the part of the cabinet of Premier Salandra, and, to a
certain degree, to the money of the powers of the Ente