IN ROME TO-DAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 16 August 1944, Page 7

IN ROME TO-DAY

MANY PROBLEMS FOR ALLIES SINCERE DESIRE FOR DEMOCRACY (By James Lansdale Hodson. British novelist and war correspondent) To fly in two or three days 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 on’* 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 insofar 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 bretthe 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 flambuoyant 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 ai*e learning to be real children. BRITAIN’S AMIABLE SOLDIERS The age when everything that was | permissible was compulsory is dead. 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. To-day the streets are comparatively gay and busy thougfi this business remains far below normal because of the lack of transport, electricity, work ancT food, and Rome is suffering from all these shortages. Some three hundred thousand at least are unemployed. Rotne. 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 Rome's 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 100 grammes six weeks ago is now 200 grammes and both fruit and vegetables are making their appearance—but the average . citizen cr.n hardly get along without using the black market to a greater or less deWhat 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. D| appointment naturally follows. The Romans indeed have an inadequate idea of how the remainder of even Italy has suffered. let alone Poland. Czechoslovakia and parts of France. THE BEGINNING OF A NEW DEMOCRACY The striking pieces of evidence of the comparatiye freedom of the Ron ans to-day an .’, 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 to-day has 11 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 lias been reprimanded by the Allies for going far beyond what Britain’s laws of libel would permit in discussing their political oppol nents.

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 20 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, Liberal, Christian, Democrats, Labour Democrats, Action, Socialists and Communists. The new party, which sounds very odd at first blush, is that of th<» 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 ele-

ments 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 ready for freedom since they had 1.000 years of slavery, then 70 years of freedom and then 20 odd more years of slavery. As my playwright said, “Italy is as a 3 r oung man who has gambled everything and lost. Now she must learn to go to college for 10 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 J-he 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 10 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 as there is an active minority of Fascists. In between are a mass of folk who do not understand politics 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 2,000 were taken away with brutality. A final point—tribu'e 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 punishment can be short-lived .