FEAR ALL GONE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 31, 5 August 1944, Page 6

FEAR ALL GONE

ROME BREATHES AGAIN

AMIABLE CONQUERORS1

(By James Lansdale Hodson, British novelist and war correspondent, who has just reached Rome from Britain.)

To fly in two or three days from London to Rome is to be swiftly translated from a city in the front line of the war to a city behind the war. War that was destructive physically came to Rome only in a minor degree. But during the German occupation governance of fear was widespread and the mental anxiety, which dominated thousands of lives, made existence miserable. Rome has been freed from fear except in so far as those active Fascists and collaborators with the Germans go. It is true to say that one of the four freedoms—freedom from fear—is for. well over 90 per cent., perhaps 99 per cent, of Romans, a positive, magnificent fact. The Romans say, "Now we can breathe again." A well-known playwright ,said to me: "You cannot understand what it means. It is as though I have come out. of prison. My mind is unloosed and unchained. Now I can go out in the streets and my wife knows that I shall return—something she had never known for nine months under the Germans. Of course, under Mussolini I could never write as I wished."

This deliverance of Rome from fear has been wrought by British and United States troops whose comrades one now finds in the streets and hotels. They are. the most amiable conquerors in the world, sauntering as unarmed and casual as though this city has always been a home of friends. One finds English soldiers, South Africans, and Canadians eating flamboyant ice creams, or one lights on an Italian boy playing his accordion in the cool of the evening to a group of mechanical transport soldiers sitting in the cabs or on the steps of their trucks. Italian children are playing natural games and disporting themselves to a degree that they have never known. They are learning to be real child- j ren. i GOOD AMBASSADORS. j The age when everything that was permissible was compulsory is ended. Miniature bayonets give place ,to bagatelle. Of this change, which the ; Romans find touching, Britain's amiable soldiers are a manifest cause and sign. They remain as is customary, -, good ambassadors for Britain. The ; streets under the Germans were almost empty of Roman civilian men. Two hundred thousand men, one estimate says, were in hiding from callups for the German labour companies or in fear for reasons of politics or race. Via Veneto, one of Rome's most fashionable streets, was often deserted.

Today the streets are comparatively gay and busy though this business remains far below normal because of the lack of transport, electricity, work, and food, and Rome is suffering from all these shortages. Some three hundred thousand at least. are unemployed. Borne, indeed, although she has suffered far less than most Italian' cities, is none the less an example of the formidable task that lies before the Allies and will lie before us all over Europe. Probably 70 per cent, of Homes power-houses were destroyed by the Germans. Ordinary householders get electricity fitfully for small periods. Their water supply is often below normal because electricity was used for pumping. Food is increasing—the bread ration of lOO.grammes six weeks ago is now 200 grammes, and both fruit and vegetables are making their appearance—but the average citizen can hardly get along without using the black market to a greater or less degree. What is unfortunate is that the Romans had concluded that the Allies should arrive with, so to speak, pockets filled with sterling and other pockets, that were not filled with sterling, packed with food and candy.. Disappointment naturally follows. The Romans indeed have an inadequate idea of how the remainder of even Italy has suffered, let alone Poland, Pzechoslovakia, and parts of France. THE BEGINNING OF A NEW DEMOCRACY. Two striking pieces of evidence of the comparative freedom of the Romans today and of the painful attempts to form the beginnings of a new democracy are, first, the creation of resuscitation of political parties and, second, of the daily newspapers. Rome today has eleven daily newspapers. In general, they say what they wish on political affairs. It is not unnatural that this new-found liberty should often,result in invective or personal quarrelling. One or other of the papers from time to time has been reprimanded by the Allies for going far beyond what Britain's laws of libel would permit in discussing their, political opponents. There are demands in some quarters for a Press purge and in others for a police purge. The. Italians have grown skilful at denunciation under twenty years of Fascist rule and. denunciations continue. Of political parties there is a great wealth. My playwright acquaintance says ironically that it is Italy's only form of riches at the moment.

One Roman told me that there are--26 parties, but, on jotting them down, could only make eleven. The Government itself is six, namely, Lib.eral, Christian Democrats, Labour Democrats, Action, Socialists, and Comunists. The- new party, which sounds very odd at first blush, is that of the Catholic Communists, and there is talk of the grouping together of the Socialists, Communists, and Christian Democrats. At all events that they all exist is' some manifestation of the spirit of man. There are those conservative elements in the middle class who think that the Allies had given the Press too much liberty and there are those who say that the Romans are not yet ready for freedom since they had 1000 years of slavery, then 70 years of freedom, and 20-odd more years of slavery. As my playwright said, "Italy is as a young man who has gambled everything and lost. Now she must learn to go to college for ten years. That college is England." I asked who is his father who orders him to college? He made a gesture and said "History." He .thought that the Allies would have to remain in Italy for several years to prevent chaos and civil war. This belief that the Allies must stay in Italy for a length of time has been put by different Roman acquaintances as from three to ten years. There is no doubt that the leading politicians will have quite other ideas. PRIESTS' VALIANT WORK. The truth is that in Rome there is an active minority of those who were anti-Fascist Ss there is an active minority of Fascists. In between are a mass of folk who do not understand politics and do not want to. But an observer in close touch with affairs is impressed by the vigour and sincerity for democracy of groups of young Romans. I have omitted to mention another good thing that has resulted from the liberation—l mean the freedom from fear of Rome's Jews. They had been ill treated. On one occasion 2000 were taken away with brutality. A final point—tribute must be paid to the priests attached to the Vatican for other valiant work in guarding refugees and of the Vatican in feeding Rome's people. Gratitude to the British Commonwealth and to the United States for liberating them is, I think, beyond doubt among Romans. It would be strange were it not so. But doubtless what has gone before will be remembered. Penitence without pun- | ishment can be short-lived.