_MENTOR GRAVURES_--A BANK IN VENICE, PROTECTED AGAINST ATTACK · A MARKET SQUARE IN ROME · AN ITALIAN KINDERGARTEN SHATTERED BY A BOMB · TAKING DOWN THE HORSES OF ST. MARK'S · CHURCH OF ST. MARK'S BOARDED UP FOR PROTECTION · PIAZZA DEL POPOLO, ROME Italy has played a far more important part in the World War than is apparent to one who has not given the subject special consideration. The neutral nations have directed most of their thoughts to England and France. To do Italy full justice, the fact must be emphasized that she came into the war at a time when the Allies were in great need of her. The outlook for England and France was most serious when the Italian people, roused by love of liberty and democracy, demanded that their Government cast its lot with the Allies and declare war. As a result, Austria was compelled to mobilize and mass her forces on the Italian frontier, and she was no longer able to give aid and support to the Germans on the western front. The entire course of the war was then materially changed. [Illustration: PEACE IN THE MIDST OF WAR This picture of Italian children playing with dolls was taken in Italy's darkest hour before the turn of the fortunes of war Photograph by E. M. Newman] Austria's army and navy were thereafter kept busy trying to hold the Italians in check. What happened in the fall of 1917 will always be more or less of a mystery. After two years of the hardest kind of fighting, during which time the Austrians were being gradually pushed back until Vienna itself was threatened, there came a retreat, one of the most disastrous in the annals of war. The Italians lost in two weeks all that they had gained in two years. Worse still, Italy was invaded and a considerable area occupied by the Austrian army. Consternation ensued, the Italian people were dazed. Something had gone wrong; no one could understand it. But one thing every Italian knew, and that was that no braver soldiers were to be found in any country, and that when Italy had time to recover from her surprise Austria would pay the price. _How the Italian Army Came Back_ [Illustration: BOOKSTALLS IN ROME War did not drive the booklovers from their favorite haunts Photograph by E. M. Newman] The retreat of the Italian army was followed by a wave of patriotism that swept from one end of Italy to the other. If there were some that were lukewarm before, they were roused to the highest pitch of enthusiasm for the prosecution of the war. Italy had been invaded, and that was sufficient to stir the blood of every Italian.