GIFT OF 7 it Ciia.kcnr' Side Lights LUIGI CARNOVALE Apostol of Humanity The Modern Idealist By ETHEL TORREY HIBBARD CHICAGO Compliments of the Author Side Lights Luigi Carnovale Apostol of Humanity The Modern Idealist By ETHEL TORREY HIBBARD &**>C h ** Chicago 1922 i : ' *. v- * : COPYRIGHT 1922 ETHEL TORREY HIBBARD CHICAGO, ILL. GENTRY-MAYHA.M PRINTING CO. 120 POLK STREET, CHICAGO THERE finally came to pass the time when we felt the injustice we had done this apparently simple minded man; a gradual change had come over us; a certain hushed feeling gripped us, and we found our locomotion automatically stopped. In a dazed way, unconscious of all else except his influence, we were accepting his theories as actual material for the development of his cherished aspirations. We, who had listened for months, only to scoff, to pity, to despise even, were being slowly converted to his cause, a cause that had seemed to us to be a vehicle only for self-aggrandizement. A great simplicity and frankness, not in keeping with the politics of this day nor amongst those who exploit new cults, doctrines, isms seemingly insufficient armor to meet the ever suspicious, cynical, human soul issues forth a doctrine so magnificently daring that the impression derived is, the promulgator is clearly addle-pated. We eventually felt the power of his psychic superior- ity, insight, quiet force, tremendous poise, and faith in himself, as weapons with which to convert this mad, commercial, political and diplomatic world. We had given him the acid-test our contempt for his colossal presumption. In many of the following impressions we felt the lack of real contact with the world in which his ideals are consumed, a superficial summing-up 478659 6 Side Lights of its conditions, a child-like resentment and faith in his ability to knock over the blocks and rebuild a moral and spiritually redeeming treasure-world. Suddenly we gasp, realizing our injustice. We have to congratulate ourselves that he was not stoned from our presence, as was the Nazarene, who so modestly preached to the unbelievers. ITALIAN history relates the invasion of Spanish tyranny through the last centuries, and tyranny of the Bourbons throughout the southern provinces. Here it was that the Greek exiles set up one of the greatest splendors of civilization. In Crotona, for instance, flourished the philosophical school of Pytha- goras, the birth-place of the multiplication table. The moral austerity of the first Republic of Rome, with such formidable figures as Brutus, Scipio, Cato, the Gracchi; the Italian Renaissance with its Dante, Michelangelo, Palestrina, Galileo, and the subsequent modern philosophy created by the southern Italians, Bernardino Telesio, Giordano Bruno, and Tommaso Campanella; the Risorgimento of the present Italy compendiated in the apostolate of Mazzini and in the heroism of Garibaldi; many more illuminating periods and personages, to which we cannot lend the space, have influenced the moral and spiritual soul of Luigi Carno- vale. His exaltation of Italy is as though the present decadence were obliterated, and only the magnificence of the Italy that gave birth to emperors, warriors, philosophers, poets, artists, scientists the Patria that Side Lights gave so unsparingly to the world this regal, classic and immortal glory it is this influence that he exalts and begs America to recognize. An early precocity directed him to follow the in- spirations and teachings of the philosopher and poet, Tommaso Campanella, a martyr of the region of Luigi Carnovale's birthplace. His defense of this philoso- pher sheds a picturesque and virile tempest to his life that forebodes interesting results. He is himself a potential poet and philosopher, and an idealizer of his remotest thought as well as his boldest theory. His is a well rounded treatment on the Italian- American subject. With the co-operation of the Italian press, he makes the effort to fuse into this fast accumu- lating mass a need for education, with an intelligent vindication for their adoption by America; a solution for bettering their condition, and impressing them with the importance of the advantages given them. With- out compromise he scoffs at their indolence; their indifference to this wealth of advantages within their reach. These people represent the poorest human product of their glorious nation mother country of several civilizations; they are neither a proud contri- bution of Italy to America nor do they absorb from America the best it has to offer. He expounds volubly on this subject and does it with a frankness and well merited rebuke which evidences a worth of his own Americanism. 8 Side Lights IUIGI CARNOVALE has, for several years, been a J resident of America. He spoke only his native tongue upon his arrival, but has tenaciously persevered until his mastery of English has reached a diction pure and stimulating. His endurance of the immigrant's hardship has added only resolution and determination to his qualities. Nothing seems too complex, venture- some or difficult for his deductions. His capacity for perseverance has profited him a fund of knowledge, socially and politically. With this enviable structure upon which to build, he has formed rudiments from his own amazing diagnosis that cannot but cause the world to gasp, for he is so fundamentally right, and his principles are founded on such simplicity, that to the superficial thinker, it would appear to be the ravings of a purely quixotic mind. Paradoxically, this sim- plicity is staggeringly audacious and correct from a humanitarian standpoint. He sees and criticizes the evils of peoples, and ab- sorbs the good, the best, the most beautiful. He has no prejudices of race or nationality The sun is his father, the earth is his mother and all humanity his brother. A profound conviction consumes him in the consecration of his life to the assistance of the task of uplifting mankind. Ably and contemptuously he handles our so-called efforts at reformation. Looks upon corruption with a jaundiced eye and vigorously resents the "reformer," gaging him, on the average, to be as cunning as the counterfeit of wisdom. Has an unbiased opinion of personal rights, believing that humanity should choose its own personal procedure so long as it respects the order and liberty of those of contending opinion. Side Lights A MAN who never vacates, voluntarily, his own subject of conversation. To him the usual con- versational patter is what Greek would be to most of us. His subjects, his ideals, are paramount, and when they are not in the ascendancy, his perspective is slaughtered. But he does not lack a remedy, for we have often seen him leapfrog and retake his own sub- ject with unerring determination, although astounding for the instant. His curiosity concerning the modern social life is obviously wide-eyed youth unsophistica- tion. We have found him mentally incapable of han- dling certain questions with sanity and courage modesty's laurel. To the recruiting acquaintance, his ofttimes passionate bursts of intensity on subjects, with which he is thoroughly familiar, give him a tone of an egomaniac, but he takes the peculiar satisfac- tion of one who has succeeded in making another ex- ceedingly uncomfortable. Firmness and pluck have marked his attitude in the establishing of his own creeds, and with bulldog tenacity he refuses to be influenced by other forces. He "rides the whirlwind and directs the storm" and has the courage to do it single handed, rather than to impose himself to confusion of flattery and hypocritical attention of myriad sycophants. A philosopher of his temperamental, emotional and passionate nature, so bound up in his spiritual affinities, is apt to be erratic, especially on the subject of uni- versal emancipation. We cool Anglo-Saxons, unless given to tolerance and judgment, receive the impression of rank radicalism. We feel that such emotion should 10 Side Lights be lanced and treated with caution. Luigi Carnovale is radical, for his convictions are based on material that comes from careful investigation, and he knows that only radical measures can bring to pass the world's spiritual, moral and political rejuvenation. A THREADBARE platitude that religion is founded on the golden rule is nevertheless true in his case. He is described by his friends as an atheist. We have noted, in spite of this, a delightful weakness a re- spect for his Mother's religion, the universal one of his country. His theories take the line that religion has failed through the centuries, and its elements of avowed purification are today equal to its condition in its inception. There are examples of men who have reached the very pinnacle of perfection and success, ignoring religious philosophy and frankly acknowledg- ing the impotency of the teachings of the church. The religious and state institutions are full of iniquity and injustice, and the odor of sanctity and diplomacy is wormwood to the highminded freethinker who so ardently and tenaciously urges decent principles. Such sustained hypocrisies make for the raison d'etre of his frank atheism. We have stated that we underestimated him, scorned his plans. Perhaps much of this was due to his personal appearance; not the usual Italian type, but almost effeminate, a type without distinct nationality; fair; blue eyes; a roached mane of waving iron-gray hair; that, with chiseled features and prominent forehead, gives him a composite likeness of Byron and Beethoven ; Side Lights 11 pale, except in moments of vigorous thought and action, when his features suffuse with the coloring of a healthy school-girl. Large, well modeled mouth and faultless teeth; medium in stature, but sturdy; soft voice, rather womanishly modulated; white, soft, fleshy hands with a forearm indicating surprising muscularity. They say that egotism preserves man like ice preserves meat certain it is that Luigi Carno- vale has the egotism of accepted success, and this perhaps accounts for his youth, despite his gray locks and impressive philosophy. Daily contact and close association unclothe the human character. Affectation and superficialities unconsciously slip, and reveal the weaknesses, with which we would not have the world familiar. A personage who constantly stands before the public, who bares himself, lays himself open to discussion, to compromise, must be heir to much courage and strength, must be so constituted that his mind be either free from hypocrisies and deceit, or so nimble and capable that it constantly protects its omissions from the world's sight. The weaknesses of a high tensioned temperament readily reveal themselves, but the fabric of this man's qualities is woven so soundly that it approximates sane coordination and a harmoni- ous adjustment. 12 Side Lights II FE is essentially a serious business with Luigi J Carnovale. Much of his comedy lies framed in sarcasm; the practical joke is misinterpreted. He takes little time for pleasure, and luxury is an offense to his principles. He would submit to privation with little indifference, if the doing would promote any revolution for betterment. Frivolities are a negligible quantity in his alchemy. What humble adoration consumes him for the con- vert who voices the testimony of faith in his doctrines! He buries himself in a ritual of thanksgiving. We have seen him fly into a rapture of sentimentality as easily as a schoolgirl for her movie-hero. He has a fear of pain that would brand him if his qualities were not understood, but his tenderness and sweetness and sincere brotherhood to the suffering, the humble, the poor, is Godlike. An instance of his benefactions: A poor fellow came persistently under his notice, ragged and unkempt. He had watched him but had yet to see him beg. On each occasion the fellow stood gazing into windows where there were displays of food. This proved too much for the spirit to bear, and on a cold morning, Luigi Carnovale, with a quaking but determined spirit, approached the fellow with apprehensive solicitude, begging him to step into the building entrance, which he did. Without further to do, Luigi Carnovale removed the contents from the pockets of his own great coat and placed instead a bill of generous denomination. Handing the coat to the fellow, he admonished him to "move along;" while he, himself, hurried on to his destination Side Lights 13 with a countenance cast down and sensitive, but obviously with a feeling that he had given succor to real distress. We can not escape reference to one other characteris- tic, apropos of this; we challenge his wisdom but know that it is born of a transplendency of soul. A fervor, incompatible with prudence and caution, overwhelms him for those who evidence their love and confidence, and his generosity is played with out of proportion with the corespective the fawning, wheedling unctuousness of the flatterer. His "the social smile, the sympathetic tear." Ah Praise, what mean ad- vantage is taken in thy name! For the poor, the humble, the beggar, the sycophant, he is "adversity's sweet milk." THERE has been a monument erected to Luigi Carnovale in America that will long sustain his name. Through his initiative the Italians of the United States have presented to the leading univer- sities a magnificent replica of the original manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy The Codice Trivul- ziano. While thanks are in order to the collective Italians, the bulk is certainly due Luigi Carnovale. His capacity for constructing the arrangement and distribution of this gift; his labor, his time, and the heavy personal expense of this great mass of priceless volumes, have been features not even the Italians who contributed have realized. But there has been left no doubt that our universities are mindful of the precious value of this rare gift, for there has come a 14 Side Lights deluge of tributes, sincere and whole-hearted, magnifi- cently expressed, from presidents, faculties, and in- dividuals which is a copious satisfaction, and a reward that is soundly merited. Amongst his various contributions given to the world is an exposition of an important chapter in history, the Arms Conference in Washington. Follow- ing the reception of his scholarly work, Why Italy Entered into the Great War, there came a lull in his endeavors. With the unfoldment of this conference Luigi Carnovale presented to the diplomatic corps, and to an interested world, his prophecy The Dis- armament Conference at Washington will be a Failure. To us who were intimately associated with him, it seemed a colossal piece of presumption and audacity. We wish to touch on this only to substantiate our first observation that we are his converts. The world knows how flat was the result the conference that opened with such fireworks and with what seemed to us to be a heel on Luigi Carnovale's foresight. We have before us now a periodical which refers to this Washington Conclave as "the poor old mouldy fly- blown Washington Conference." A noteworthy ob- server states in this fashion: "The conference, which has gone on for more than eleven weeks, has not one big achievement in definite, final form." Luigi Carnovale gives a striking analysis of the causes that provoke wars, and his opinion of how they can be prevented. His conviction is that the means devised, up to the present, are ineffective, and that the League of Nations has never done anything to Side Lights 15 allay the distemper of opposing nations. He gives us most convincingly a brilliant discussion of "Human Solidarity," a study well synthetized in its title, Only by the Abolition of Neutrality Can War Be Quickly and Forever Prevented. This deserves the attention of governments and peoples that it has received, if we are to believe that the world really wishes the advent of universal, perennial peace. IN passing, it will not be superfluous to pay tribute to an influence in Luigi Carnovale's life to a worthy brother and apostle, Vincenzo Carnovale, beautiful evidences of an affection, concurrent with many another noble characteristic. The sea separates them, but this disjunction adds only fervor to their correlation. Vincenzo is as a right arm to Luigi, although theirs are doctrines of diverging and variant ideas (perhaps more apparent than substantial). However, "My brother right or wrong my brother still." Vincenzo Carnovale is a resident of Stilo, Reggio di Calabria, their native birthplace. A lawyer of prominence, and in this capacity an auxiliary to the cause for which Luigi Carnovale stands. This brother has the practical qualifications, the fitness, the tour de force to council wise'y in the developments of his poet-brother's ideals; and with a heart to conceive, an understanding to direct, a hand to execute, they form a union rarely met, and bear promise of the exe- cution of any undertakings that may surcharge them. In a recent article from the "Giornale d'ltalia," of Rome, came the statement, "Vincenzo Carnovale is a noble custodian of the ideals of his brother," voiced by the Belgian philosopher, Antoine Bruers. 16 Side Lights THESE brief, miscellaneous impressions of a man, foreign, strangely idealistic ; a man imbued with a potential urge of ambition, who with his florid tem- perament can be so easily misunderstood, are written as our vindication. We have confronted a collection of sidelights on a single man whose chief ambition is to promote a plan of cleaning the political, economic and social arena of its stench of the cesspool. In this garbled industrial age, such courage and perseverance to an ideal has a cathartic virtue, and we pray that it will carry a triumphant answer to the farthest corner of the earth. After all, it is the spiritual touch that gives us the most tangible happiness, and we wish that the domin- ant selfishness and ill-gotten power of our present leaders could be obliterated, and that we could have injected the influences of greater brotherhood and the principles of higher minded and more honest dealing men. Luigi Carnovale blazes a trail that gives us a radiant hope. Side Lights 1 7 AFTER THOUGHTS It is the Author's pleasure to mention herewith a few of the contributions given to the world by Luigi Carnovale: A Visit to the Artist Andrea Cefaly My Mother The Dream of Francesco Journalism of Italian Emigrants in America Why Italy Entered Into the Great War Only By the Abolition of Neutrality Can War Be Quickly and Forever Prevented The Disarmament Conference at Washington Will Be a Failure IN PREPARATION: The Formation of the Italian Character Tommaso Campanella The Omnipotents We know his admirers are legion his sympathizers who would his disciples be. Courage, intelligence, understanding, vision, and ability to popularize. Un- equivocal honesty and indissolvable faith constitute the necessary attributes of this corps d'armee. We want this beautiful world, into which we are submerged for so short a time, to give us fruits of sweeter eating. The tyranny of the crafty, the cunning of the arti- ficial, the knavery of politics, the greed of the com- mercial, the back-stairs influence we want to render null. Luigi Carnovale is sowing the seeds. Through his policy the world should propagate and bear us a richer harvest of leaders. We need such facile pens and penetrative, constructive minds to incubate the seem- ingly impossible conversion, and irradicate from our minds the necessity of submitting to the artificial conditions as they exist today. 478659 f3<+ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY