“PROTECTION’ FOR AUTHORS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 79, 27 December 1928, Page 16

“PROTECTION’ FOR AUTHORS

ITALIAN PROPOSAL ENGLISH BEST SELLERS As Fascist policy is inspired by the axiom that struggles between nations for supremacy are not confined to economics and politics, but include intellectual competition, Mussolini is giving great encouragement to Italian men of letters (states an “Observer” correspondent). Nevertheless, dissatisfaction is felt among a certain set known as the “Strapaese.” mostly composed of authors who may be described as literary protectionists. They have to acknowledge that the Government goes out of its way to exalt and preserve national and regional traditions, and, indeed, everything Italian. This is not enough in their opinion; the Government must barricade Italy against being swamped by foreign literature; the Italian book market should be defended from an overflow of translations so as to leave more breathing space for native writers. This movement is a natural reaction against the former Italian tendency to place undue value on all foreign forms of literature, especially the French drama, and to treat their own productions with indifference. It is easier to hiss the “invader” off the boards than out of the library. Lately some good French, plays were hissed off the stage, while mediocre Italian ones received exaggerated applause. Two companies have been formed for the purpose of acting Italian drama exclusively.

Campaign Against Translations.

Even Pirandello, who only lately reaffirmed his devotion to Mussolini and Fascism, is severely criticised by these literary Jingoes. They complain that as an author he is not Italian but European, and therefore anti-Fascist. The extreme manifestation of this tendency is shown in a suggestion put forward in a Milanese paper that legislation should be passed regulating the output of foreign works translated into Italian. It is suggested that the law might be relaxed in favour of geniuses; this involves the sitting of a permanent commission to settle the tantalising question: “Who is a genius?” It is suggested that' tor ..-a certain number of years only two new translations should be allowed to every -ten Italian original works. An Italian bookseller of long experie."ce ’~h ns S‘I cn me his opinion on the situation. Legislation cannot control taste, -he said, “It is up to our authors to capture their public ■ for themselves, and to control foreign competition. Italians read far more than formerly. There is no comparison between Italy to-day, better educated, more alive to every interest, and poor Italy of twenty years ago. But people read what amuses them. We can count on our fingers the Italian writers who are good sellers, while popular foreign novelists are legion”—and he pointed to the long counters in his shop, covered with French, English, and German literature.

Popularity of English Books.

In answer to my question as to what Anglo-Saxon books were most popular, he said: “I am speaking only of the general public, not of literary circles. Of course, ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,’ and Jack London’s stories, are sought for here as eagerly as elsewhere. Still, taste is improving. There is a marked demand for novels by Conrad; Kipling holds the public to a certain extent, especially with the Jungle Books’; Galsworthy is becoming better known, and more of his books are being translated; Bernard Shaw s plays are read and admired; •yells has few Italian readers, and Barrie is absolutely unknown and untranslated.”

. The best writers in Italy are not asking for protection; they are both popular and prosperous. The “Mercure de France” having said: “Il est entendu qtie la litterature en Itale ne nourrit pas son homme,” the Italian novelist, Luciano Zuccoh, answered that D’Annunzio has been able to live in princely style; Seni Bonelli has. built himself a castle at Zoagli “worthy of an Oriental potentate”; Grazia Deledda, Pirandello, and Guido De Verona have earned immense sums by their stories and lives, while Zuccoli himself is able, to live very comfortably in Paris on his literary earnings. He ends with a note of irony: “Giovanni Papini makes millions by his amusing History of Christ.”

fanatics, who, with their long guns and long knives, were murdering all they could reach. Akbar constantly appeared on the scene during this journey of terror. At every opening or break in the long struggling flight, he and his little band of followers, showed themselves on the horizon, trying still to protect the English from utter ruin, as he declared, but really come to gloat over their misery, and to see. that it was surely accomplished. Akbar, at length, startled' the English by a proposal that the women and children who were with the army should be handed over to his custody, to be conveyed by him in safety to Peshawur. There was nothing better to be done. The only modification of his request or command that could be obtained-was that the husbands of the married ladies should accompany their wives. With this agreement, the women and children were handed over to the care of Akbar, and Lady Macnaghten had to undergo the agony of a personal interview with the slayer of her husband. The women and the children and the married men were taken from the army, and placed under the care of Akbar. As events turned out, this proved fortunate, and in the case, was the best thing that could be done. Not one of these women and children could have lived through the horrors of the journey. The march was resumed. A new horror set in; new heaps of corpses stained the snow; then Akbar again presented himself with a fresh proposal.

Treaty at Cabul. In the treaty made at Cabul, between the English and the Afghans, there was nn article which stipulated that the English force at Jellalabad should march from Peshawur before the Cabul army arrived, and should not delay on the road, Akbar being anxious that his purpose should not be defeated by any show of force from that quarter. He also commanded that •General Elphinstone and his second in command should hand themselves over to him as hostages, promising if this were done to exert himself more than before to restrain the fanatical tribes. There was nothing for it to submit, and the General himself became with the women and children a captive in the bands of Akbar. Then the march of the army went on again. Soon it became the story of a general without nn army. Before very long there was neither general nor army, for the latter found on approaching another pass that the fanatics had barricaded it against them. All was over. The army of Cabul was finally extinguished in that barricaded pass. It was a trap. The British were taken in. A few fugitives escaped from the scene of slaughter, and were on the road to Jellalabad. where Sale and his little army were holding their own. When they were within 16 miles of Jellalabad the number was reduced to six. Of those six five were killed by straggling marauders on the way. One man alone reached Jellalabad. Dr. Brydon came out of the moving host which had numbered in all 16.000 that had set out on its march from Cabul.

[The above authentic account is republished as something wliieli may fitly be recalled in view of the cabled rescue of an Englisi! woman by aeroplane from Cabul.]