Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 117, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 May 1918 — U. S. TO ENTER ITALIAN ZONE [ARTICLE]

U. S. TO ENTER ITALIAN ZONE

SECRETARY OF WAR SAYS U. S. UNITS WILL, SOON BE FIGHTING IN ITALY. New York, May 24.—Secretary of War Baker announced in an address here tohight in celebration of Italy day that American infantry, American machine units and American artillery soon would be fighting shoulder to shoulder with the Italians on their front. The feature of New, York City’s celebration of Italy day was a meeting tonight in the Metropolitan opera house, at which the chief speakers were Secretary of War. Baker, Count Macchi Di Cellere, the Italian ambassador, and Charles E. Hughes, president of the Italy-American society, which arranged the nationwide demonstration to mark the third aniversary of Italy’s entrance into the war. The audience applauded at every mention of sympathy and co-opera-tion between Italy and the United States and there was great applause when a letter from President Wilson was read expressing his admiration for Italy. Colonel Roosevelt also paid “homage to the Italian nation and to the Italian army for their brilliant and heroic record for the last three years,” in a letter read at the meeting. President Wilson expressed his regret at being unable to voice in person his “admiration for the great Italian people who are engaged with us in the great struggle now going forward for securing the rights of free men.”