LAZINESS OVERCOME

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 October 1931, Page 10

LAZINESS OVERCOME

MUSSOLINI’S REFORM ROME, October 3. Signor Mussolini, the Italian Premier, who is himself the son of a blacksmith, is extremely proud of the success of his “Dopolavoro” movement, which is one of the most popular branches of the Fascist Regime. Literally “Dopolavoro” means after work, but figuratively it has meant the regeneration of Italy’s adult classes. In five years it has become one of the most powerful and efficient supports of Fascism. The movement has taken the spare time of the poorer manual and brain workers, and made it virile and interesting. Systematic mental, physical, and artistic training through “Dbpolavoro” has given new life to the Italians amongst whom laziness was almost a virtue before the advent of Fascism.

On the fifth anniversary of the foundation of the movement, its membership was 1,622,000, of whom 1,093,000 were manual workers. During the five years more than 6.000,000 workers have taken part in athletic and other sporting demonstrations. In the same period there were 276,000 educational or artistic meetings held, 3,000 libraries were established, and classes for illiterates became so overcrowded that room could not be found for all wishing to enrol. Social workers say that the movement has resulted in a spread of temperance, bars and cafes finding their trade falling off.