Perpendicular Republic

Arrow-swift, a darting racing car swept over the Etruscan Appennines last week, scaled with a virile roar the heights of Monte Titano, swept into the Borgo of San Marino, oldest* and smallest/- republic in the world. Behind, far behind, panted a lumbering caravan of limousines. Before they had scaled the nearly perpendicular republic, Signor Mussolini had leaped from his racer, received the respectful welcome of the two Capitani Reggenii (Regents) of San Marino. As the swaying limousines drew up, there clambered out, Signora Mussolini (Rachele Guidi), their daughter Edda, their sons Bruno and Vittorio. Round about stood in attitudes of somewhat disgruntled welcome, the 60 Grand Councillors of San Marino, an august senate from which the two regents are chosen twice a year. Well they might regard II Duce with suspicion, fear. Did not Caesar Borgia wrest the precious independence of the republic from it for an all-too-broad span of years? May not the republic's armed forces (1200 men, constituting the sturdy male population between 16 and 60) be called upon to sell their lives in attempting to repulse the possible aggression of the Caesar of today? Signor Mussolini and his family received a welcome both formal and courteous--scarcely an ovation.

*Traditionally founded by St. Marinus as a Christian refuge from the persecution of Diocletian, A. D. 284-305. /-Area, 38 sq. mi. Frontier length, 24 mi. Population, 12,027 (1920). San Marino has a treaty of friendship with Italy, and extradition treaties with Britain, the Netherlands and the U. S.