FASCIST ITALY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 107, 7 May 1937, Page 10

FASCIST ITALY

TRAVELLER'S VIEWS

BRITONS WELL LIKED

SOME SIDELIGHTS

Observations on. Italy as a wellestablished Fascist State early in the year, as forwarded to a Wellington friend by Mr. W. L. S. Britton, make interesting reading. "Everywhere the people were most kind and helpful," he writes. "There was no evidence of antiBritish feeling whatever; there was enthusiasm for the Anglo-Mediter-ranean Accord readied at the time of our visit." Mr. Britton deals extensively with the Italian national effort in industry and other directions, with which he was greatly impressed. TOURIST CONCESSIONS. "Italy appeared to be especially dependent on getting credit abroad, or on the tourist industry. Whatever the cause, travel in Italy was inexpensive and convenient. Other European countries encourage tourists by providing their currency at a discount, but none goes to the extent of providing the concessions that Italy does. Fifteen days unlimited railway travel second class (there are three classes) costs about £2 10s, and very satisfactory hotels, with hot and cold water, cost about 7s a day, inclusive, of meals, taxes, and tips." NATIONAL SEAT LOTTERY. "Railway travel is something of a lottery, for the numbers travelling bear no relation to the accommodation provided. Some trains run half empty and others are so packed that it is impossible to move in or out of such a place as you are able to get. Soldiers on leave from Ethiopia or en route for the depot throng all trains, and if many civilians are travelling, then-it is just too bad. Luggage blocks the corridors, but as long as the doors can be shut all is in order. Frequently the masses of fresh passengers trying to get in at a station prevent those alighting from getting out, and there is a deadlock until an official arrives and begins to shout. The guard is always accompanied by a railway militiaman armed with a revolver, whose mission is not very clear, for he contents himself with staring at' the passengers, and the tickets. No-doubt he would become active if the tickets and passports were not strictly in order.' ■ . "The Fascist system can point to considerable improvements in the railway system. Apart from .new marble stations for many of the cities, electrification and tunnelling to cut down times and distances are widespread recent developments. HUGE SPORTS GROUNDS. "On the outskirts of Rome is a magnificent Forum Mussolini. An immense obelisk at the entrance commemorates the fact that Mussolini inaugurated this sports centre in 1936 XV. The Roman figures referring to the dating of the Fascist era are widely used on buildings and newspapers. The playing field has a marble gallery running right round the oval of the ground, which lies in a hollow. The topmost seat is level with the pathways. Here at intervals are giant-size marble statues of . men engaging in various sports, from discus throwing to swimming and skiing, and in various typical industries1, such as hoeing, sawing, etc. These statues are nudes, but a strange,change of policy has caused the authorities to fasten copper or in some cases iron 'fig leaves.' The result is almost ludicrous. Each statue has a tablet recording the name of the town which gave it. Surrounding the central arena are marble paths, gardens, and red sandstone tennis courts. The pavilion is of marble and glass, and is furnished with a library, modern steel tube furniture, a fencing hall, boxing and wrestling gymnasium, etc. FUTURE IN SPORT? "Turin has a fine new sports arena. In most of the larger Italian cities there are these sports grounds with facilities for team games and athletics as well as all kinds of fencing and tennis. They are usually given the name Forum Mussolini, and a. monument of, some kind commemorates the fact that he and his Fascisti were responsible for them. With such facilities provided and political encouragement it will not be surprising if Italians make a name for themselves in some sport, but just now perhaps the young men are too busy with overseas wars. There is a curious similarity in the provision of elaborate sports grounds in the policies of Russia. Germany, and ay KEEPING UP PRIDE. "A feature of the policy in European dictatorship countries is the practice of coaching the people to take pride in their national achievements. Special museums, displays by the army and youth political organisations, mass meetings, posters, slogans, and extracts from leaders' speeches are all used as well as newspaper and cinema propaganda. "Fastened to a new building in the Via dell' Impero, one of the finest streets in Rome, is a series of large maps of the countries rounM the Mediterranean Sea and reaching from Britain to Central Africa. On these maps the various nations are shown in dif-ferent-coloured marbles. The first map shows the Roman Empire as consisting of Rome only; the next shows the full extent of the ancient empire including, 'of course, part of Britain as a Roman colony; the third illustrates the position in 1919," the last the position with Ethiopia included. VAUDEVILLE "JOKES." "Amongst vaudeville items witnessed with a political point, which roused the audiences to enthusiasm, was one consisting of a dialogue between an Italian soldier and Hailc Selassie chained to a man in mourntn? dress, representing a prosperous British or American capitalist. From the reaction of the audience this must have apoeared very humorous. In another, several large stones were arranged with the word "Sauzioni" painted on them. A tank was driven across the stage to smash these stones while the civilians cheered on the soldiers; a popular item. . .

"Many Ttaiian cinemas have the pleasant habit of placing.a loud-speak-er at the doorway to give the dialogue of the picture on show within. This is similar to the practice elsewhere of adding to the city's clatter by blaring radio sets at dealers' doorways."