Luigi Luzzatti, Italian Jewish Statesman, Given State Funeral in Rome

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Luigi Luzzatti, renowned Italian Jewish statesman and former Prime Minister, will be buried with impressive ceremonies today. Luzzatti died at 6 o’clock Tuesday evening. He will be given a state funeral. The King and Mussolini have despatched messages of condolence to the family of the late statesman.

Luigi Luzzatti was born at Venice, March 11, 1841; he studied at the University of Padua, receiving the Doctor of Law in 1863, and in Venice. While in the latter city he was strongly influenced by Politeo, professor of philosophy, and by Zanella, the lyric poet and teacher of literature from Vicenza. At the age of twenty Luzzatti had already given lectures on economics in Venice. He was an enthuisastic supporter of the doctrine of free trade. At twenty-two he became a teacher at the Istituto Tecnico in Milan; in 1867, professor of economics in the University of Padua; and in the same year the government appointed him commissioner for the Paris Exposition.

In 1869 he became general secretary under Minghetti in the agricultural department of the ministry. Shortly afterward he entered Parliament as deputy from Oderzo, and later was chosen as the representative of Padua.

Luzzatti was one of the leaders of the Right, and had repeatedly been president of the budget committee. In matters relating to economic development he rendered his country incalculable service. He introduced the ideas of Schultze-Delitzsch into Italy, and made them national. He also labored in behalf of cooperative associations and for the establishment of postal and school savings-banks. He was an authority on all questions connected with the tariff, and had a firm grasp of the subject of commercial treaties.

Luzzatti was frequently entrusted by successive Italian governments with delicate international negotiations. As one of the delegates who arranged the commercial treaty with France he received the grand cross of the Legion of Honor. When in 1901 King Victor Emmanuel III established the Order of Labor, Luzzatti, in recognition of his labors in behalf of the working classes, was the first to receive the new decoration.

From. Feb., 1891 to May, 1892 and from July, 1896 to June, 1898, Luzzatti was minister of the treasury in Rudini’s cabinet. He then returned to his chair of economics at the University of Rome. In 1904 he was minister of the treasury in the cabinet of Giolitti.

Two years ago he was nominated first president of the Italian Academy almost by popular acclaim. Luzzatti was Minister of State in 1906. He was Chancellor of the Exchequer five times and held the post of Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce twice. He founded the Italian Peoples’ Banks. His works include “The Industrial Inquiry and the Commercial Treaties”, “The Diffusion of Credit and the Popular Banks”. “Great Italians” and “God in Liberty”. A new work by him was published last June. It contained a number of essays on Religious Ethics, the Relations of the State toward the Religious and National Minorities, and the Jewish Question. He wrote of the repeated efforts he made over a long period of years in favor of granting of citizenship rights to the Jews of Roumania. He also wrote of his many interventions with leading politicians on behalf of Beilis during the ritual murder trial in Kiev.

Senator Luzzatti presented a copy of his book to Premier Mussolini, calling upon him in his dedication to use his power for the defence of all who are persecuted because of their religious convictions.

The campaign of the United Palestine Ap## in Birmingham, Ala., was launched at ## banquet held Tuesday night, at which $7,000 were raised toward a quota of $25,000. Sir Wyndham Deedes and Mrs. Archibald Silverman addressed the gathering. Isaac Abelson is Chairman of the campaign.