Italian government paid for WW1 veterans to emigrate?

[Josie07M11]

I wonder if someone with some historical knowledge can help me.

My great-grandfather Paolo Sulfaro and his brother-in-law Rosario Sterrantino were working and living in the United States when WW1 broke out. They both returned to Italy and served in the war. Paolo was killed, whilst Rosario survived.

Relatives told me that to incentivize Italian citizens to return to fight in the war they promised them that they would pay for their emigration back to the United States after their service was over. I thought that was just a made up story but then I found the manifest for Rosario's return journey to America in 1920.

Every person listed is as a "res, us, returned" (Reservist, U.S. returned?) and almost all had previously lived in the United States. It also says that the passage was paid for by "riservist".

Does this mean that the government did pay for their emigration to the United States after serving in the war?

https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/ ... 5nZXIiOw==

[leyra86]

Nominativo (e paternità): SULFARO PAOLO DI GIUSEPPE
Albo d'Oro: Sicilia II - (Vol XXI) (21)
Province: CT - ME - SR
Pagina: 505
Sub in Pagina: 19
Comune nascita: Messina
Comune nascita Attuale: Messina
Data nascita: 25 Ottobre 1882
Grado: Soldato
Reparto: 248 Reggimento Fanteria
Distretto: Distretto Militare Di Messina
Morto o Disperso: disperso
Data Morte: 22 Maggio 1917
Luogo Morte: Monte Vodice
Causa Morte: Combattimento
Decorazioni:
Sepoltura:
Note:

[Josie07M11]

Thanks Leyra. I actually have that info about Paolo. But I wish I knew whether he had been offered paid emigration to America in exchange for his military service. (How sad if this is why he went back, but then he was killed.)

[leyra86]

riservista : militare in congelato che può essere mobilitato in caso di guerra

[leyra86]

Military leverage in Italy was mandatory. If a person returned and the military service was not held, he is arrested. There were various reasons to come back. The state paid its military, wives and mothers had military subsidies.

[leyra86]

sorry my english

[Josie07M11]

Thank you, that is very helpful! I'm sure that even if they moved to America, they wanted to go back for their visits, so they had no choice but to go to war to avoid future arrests.

I am still confused about why America would accept men from another country who were in military reserves.