ITALY’S SETTLEMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 23175, 26 January 1939, Page 2

ITALY’S SETTLEMENTS

OH AFRICAN COAST flaly is now launched upon the largest scheme of organised colonial migration ever attempted by any nation. Within (lie next four years more than 100,01)0 peasants, scratching a bare living from the hillsides and plains of (lie homeland, will have been sent to found a new Mediterranean nation on Italy’s “ fourth shore ” the old Roman provinces of Cyrenaiea and Tripoii (writes Martin Moore, in i'm London ‘ Daily Telegraph.’) By a single stroke of policy, Italy intends (o achieve in n few years, what other colonial nations, with much more promising territories, have done only in generations of largely haphazard and unassisted migration. I have just watched the first instalment of this policy carried into effect. From Genoa 1 travelled with a convoy of 20,0D0 emigrants, followed the trains of military lorries which carried them across the desert to the now villages built for them, saw them installed in their brand-new and completely furnished houses, watched them, begin work on the land. This mass migration was carried out with a parade and showmanship which reminded mo of Soviet Russian methods. But the ting-waving and the band-playing hid no discoverable flaws in the elaborate organisation for placing more than 1,800 families on farms sometimes a 100 miles from the nearest town. The whole movement was carried out to a pre-determined timetable with military efficiency—and indeed, largely by military. depends on three factors: the Fascist Government, the calibre of the emigrant farmers and the land which they must cultivate. What I saw in Libya left no doubt that Marshal Balbo, the Governor-General, is carrying out the Government’s part with the utmost energy and efficiency. Conversations with many of the peasants suggested that they have entered their new life in the spirit most likely to ensure success; they are stolid and undemonstrative, resolute rather than Hushed with extravagant hopes.

What of the land from which they have to make a living and repay eventually the Government’s settlement loans? Along this 1,250-miles of coastline the character of the soil varies so greatly that it is impossible to pass a single judgment. Experimental farms at all the centres now being colonised have proved that the desert can be made to blossom—if not like a showbeneb rose, at any rate with a fortilitv that is astonishing in comparison with tho arid bleakness on every side. Some striking results are already manifest, and Italy is convinced that this land will eventually amply repay the money showered upon it. NEW CENTRES. Ton new centres have been colonised in the past month. Tho land on which they stand—and the method of farming adopted—varies from place to place, hut to the outward view all tho villages arc practically identical. In the centre, grouped around- a spacious square are a church. Fascist political and cultural headquarters, school, post-office, market, co-opera-tive store and, in the larger villages, a doctor’s house. This represents the only communal life which most of the colonists will know. That essential feature of every■ Italian-town, tho cafe and wine restaurant-, is absent from tho Libyan scheme of life.

For this modem village is iinliko any other conception of a village. Often its area is greater than that of many industrial towns in other countries. From the upper windows of the Fascist headquarters one can sen the little white houses stretching away to the horizon sometimes in pairs, hut generally singly, like an infinitely extended garden suburb. Every building, from the cottage- to church, is in white concrete. After the first shock of surprise, the modernistic and harmonious design is pleasing. The church, in all villages a vast and lofty building, presents the biggest 'architectural innovation. In some eases it could only he indentified from outside as a church by The small cross over the doorway. The colonists own homes involve no such break with tradition. For many of them the transition is one from squalor to comparative luxury. Single-storied and fiat roofed, each has four largo rooms—a kitchen liv-ing-room, a bedroom for husband and wife one for the hoys and another for the girls. Since the smallest immigrant families number eight, and many ten or more, these dwellings are over-crowd-ed by English standards. But they are spacious by Italian peasants’ stan-

dards, and the rooms are twice as large and lofty as those of an English house. Each house lias an arched porch in front, which provides something like an additional living-room. Behind are stables and farm buildings, all of the same solid construction. These homesteads have cost about £6OO apiece to build. Cement and skilled labour had to bo imported from Italy. “ Moving-in,” as T saw it. was reduced to its simplest. Each of the 1,800 families, deposited at its ffontdoor from an army lorry, found furniture in its place, food for four days on the kitchen table, beds made, water drawn and even matches by the hearth. CONTRAST IN FARMS. Individual farms vary in size from 35 to 125 acres. The whole colonisation scheme depends upon water, and the quantity available has governed the size of farms. Where full irrigation permits of intensive cultivation holdings are small. The largest fa£ins are inmregions where rainfall is scarce and irrigation impossible; here olives and almonds will be the main crops. Of intermediate size are holdings where water supply is limited and only part of the land can be irrigated, the remainder being dry-farmed. The 125acro farms will later bo divided between two families, but, for the first years after planting, their yield will not be sufficient for more than one household.

Experiraental farms and a few holdings now being worked by older colonists show the new immigrants what they may expect from their land. The most impressive results I saw anywhere in Libya were at the villages of Gioda and Ciispi, near Misurata. Less than 18 months ago a few test farms wore cut out of the scrub-covered desert. Thanks to abundant water from artesian wells, these are now flourishing green oases. Vines have borne grapes the first year after planting; olive, orange and almond trees -are making good progress: American cotton, planted experimentally, appears well suited to the situation; 1 saw cauliflowers, potatoes, artichokes and even a banana chimp, while this year’s grain harvest is reported to have been good. Least encouraging in appearance are the farms at Oliveti and Bianclii. west of Tripoli, where the soil seems more sand. Screens of eucalyptus and mimosa arc making good growth, and olives also do well; but ground crops, walled off in little square beds for irrigation, look to be making only singling progress and the vines are poor in comparsion with those of Crispi However, on the evidence of a colonist established three years ago, it is possible to_ make ends meet even on this unpromising land. Here, also, new wells supply plenty of water. Dry-farming, without benefit cf irrigation. is being carried on in pleasant, undulating country at Breviglicri, between Tripoli and Misurata, and on the high plateau of Cyreuaica. In both these areas I saw olives, almonds and vines, to all appearance vigorous am) healthy. About Cyrenaica’s potential fruitfulness there need be no speculation ; it was one of the Roman Empire’s granaries. Such is the land which the new colonist are faking over, and such are the crops they may expect it to yield. But not for 20 or oven 25 years will the majority of them enter into full ownership of their farms. For the present they arc working as mere daylabourers iu the Colonisation Board, receiving wages averaging £0 10s monthly per family, to meet their immediate needs. *

After a short preliminary period they will become the Board’s tenant fanners under tho crop-sharing system common in Italy. Half the value of tho farm’s output belongs to the colonist, half to tho Board. Against the colonist’s share is debited tho money which the Board will continue to advance him to cover household expenses and buy seed. Tho crop-sharing period lasts for five years. Then the colonist enters into definite ownership of his farm, and begins to buy it from the Board on the instalment plan. Interest charged is only two per cant. On an avefage, the instalments will he spread over 20 years; tho period may be extended to 25 years, or a hard-working family with productive land may repay in a considerably shorter time. _ There is personality and drive behind this scheme —the personality and drive of Marshall Balbo. He himself attributes tho impulse to the Duoe, hut no one in Libya doubts who has drawn up the plan and carried it out. “ I mean to make a big thing of this,” the Governor said to me. If military efficiency, unflagging enthusiasm and grasp ot detail can do it, he wiil succeed.