"In ancient Rome when a foundling was left upon a doorstep and parentage
could not be traced, he was given the name of some color. Some of the
most illustrious and ancient Italian families of today bear these
names."

* * * * *

The first of April, 1919, John Calhoun Saylor was transferred from Cento
to the general offices of the Y. M. C. A. in the Hotel Regina, Bologna.
This hotel had been requisitioned by the Italian government from its
owners and turned over to the Y at a nominal rental.

John Calhoun, by his flatteries, ingratiated himself into most
satisfactory relations with Professor Black, general secretary of the Y.
M. C. A. in Italy and, speaking Italian almost as fluently as the
professor, who spoke it like an educated native, was frequently called
upon to transact business with the Italians.

There was great excitement in Italy and many unfriendly demonstrations
against Americans when President Wilson's attitude on the Fiume question
became generally known.

Bologna, politically, has always been one of the most demonstrative and
volatile of Italian cities. On the 25th of April, 1919, a great
demonstration was made by the populace in favor of the annexation of
Fiume, and word was sent by the police authorities to Professor Black
that a great crowd was preparing for a demonstration in front of the
hotel, in protest against President Wilson's attitude. Professor Black,
having important business in a distant city, left about the time the
crowd began gathering in front of the Hotel Regina; and John Calhoun, in
his absence, spoke for him to the assembled multitude on behalf of the
Y, explaining its position on the Fiume question.

[Illustration: Demonstration against Y. M. C. A., Hotel Regina, Bologna,
April 25, 1919.]

As he stood facing the ten thousand excited Italians, there was no
tremor of voice or limb. It was just the chance he was looking for; he
was in his element; he was having the best time he had had since leaving
America. In the uniform of an officer of the American army he spoke in
criticism of the Commander in Chief of that army, the President of the
United States.

The Bologna paper, Il Resto del Carlino, reported the proceeding as
follows:

"* * * E' un momento d'incertezza, Qualcuno impreca a Wilson e fischia.
Altri protestano giustamente affermandi che non se deve confondere
Wilson coi populo d'America.

"E giustamente Ci resulta infatti che i rappre