MODERN ITALY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21086, 10 February 1934, Page 9

MODERN ITALY

•10 THE EDITOR OF THK PM39. t Sir,—Mr Colonna in his reply to I' .Signer Fiocchini declares that through s ljcin'4 accused cf anti-patriotism he i.> placed with Dante. Mazzini, Garibaldi, a Galileo. I sincerely hope ho hj:, p and when he accuses Mussolini 1 hope it'

he places the leader there too, for, although I am not attacking the private Mr Colonna, I consider Mussolini more worthy of a place because, as tar as the public are aware, II Duce has done the more for his country. I would ask your correspondent this question: If dictatorship is only used for the benefit of cliques, how is it that loyal Italians were deprived of goodly sums to be made by birdcatching on Capri Island? No government in Italy before dared to condemn this cruel trade that only the Southern European countries practise in the pricking of the birds' eyes with a red-hot needle to keep them singing until they die. The eminent Swedish doctor, Axel Munthe, who lives at Capri, tried to have the practice stopped. He appealed to the Prefect of Naples, H.H. the Pope, the Queen of Italy, and the government, without avail One appeal to Mussolini was enough; it was stopped. There is a difference between building on reclaimed land and swamps; although perhaps the same in construction. Christchurch and Tauranga (where I saw deep foundations being put in) are not reclaimed land but just swamps that only need a few drains and they are cleared of their surplus water. A good percentage of Christchurch has not been drained. Now for Venice, as was told by the fate M.P. for Hurunui—black gondolas floating on evil-smelling waterways. Why black gondolas? So they would not show the dirt! He was disappointed in the pearl of the Adriatic as are most people. If Mussolini has not improved it he has built a road bridge to it. The leader could find more sensible things to do than build a town at sea. Venice has lost its purpose as communism lost Italy. Giovinezza, Giovinezza, Primavera di bellezza II fascismo e la salvezza Delia nostra liberta. —Yours, etc., LUKE. February 9, 1934.

TO THIS BDITOII OP TUB T£ES3. Sir, —Italy lias a system in which, as in Russia and Germany, everyone is for the dictator. It was not always thus: but those who were against him are in gaol, exiled, or dead. This discounts the argument that the people of Italy keep Mussolini in his position and are content to do so: death and the devil have schooled them. Signer Flocchini, I understand; but ; I do not understand Englishmen—if they are Englishmen—when they say that Mussolini has done more for Italy than Mazzini and Garibaldi. ' Those heroes spent their energies to ' make Italians free men; Mussolini has spent his to make Italians slaves. We ' know what our fathers thought of : Garibaldi: Would London go wild ' with enthusiasm if Mussolini appeared ' there? —Yours, etc., 1 NOT SO FORGETFUL. 1 February 9, 1934. !