New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

great krousal Of Garibaldi and NaZZini, Duu
for the century since 1920. And what seems
sudden and unexpected in the revelation OF
Italian character and organization is really
the slow growth of hundred years of un-
recorded striving These ideas of liberalism
and idcalism have worked upon education
and social life, and have come through and
have shown results in the war.
One such result is the kindliness to
animals. The excellent condition of horses
and mules is visible throughout the army.
This care Of animals is due not only to a
sentiment of kindness, but also TO the de-
sire for efficiency In one of the huts for
soldiers cease del soIdato) which we visited
deep in the forest by Mount Cengio there
was a sign:
Kindness TO Animals
"Be kind to your animal. 1t will be both
good and useful to be So"
And in the mountain roads there are
signs
"Horses going to the bottom of the valley
should drink water here"
As soon as the road was built and the
troops arrived the sign was nailed to the
tree so that the horse should not have too
long n haul between drinks. And what has
made possible the carrying out OF this senti-
ment of pity is organization, the mastery OF
details, in water, fodder and harness.
These modern ideas of technical efficiency
(which gives an organization and mechanical
basis for life) and of liberalism (Which
gives the common people a share in the
management and rewards Of industrial civili-
cation, Glowing the worker to pass on his
easement even TO the brute creation) strug-
gled in a small way underground till recent
wears. But they began to win through,
and with the war they have assumed the
mastery Of Italian life. Italy is modern az
France and Great Britain and America are
modern.
This practice in organization will endure
We visited the "De-lousing house." or dis
injecting station in Udine, where equipment
is scraped and washed clean with steam,
sulphuric acid and formalin gas. Shoes,
Enapsacks, mess tins, tunics, undergarments,
rugs, TASKS. cooking cases, wire BASKETBALL
we're undergoing Transformation. Three hun
dred complete outfits a day were being reju-
venated. The officials have found that the
life Of a pair of Italian boots is two months
and that American boots last little longer.
A woolen uniform lasts on an average OF
six months. Pink strawberry and green
socks lighted up the rows Of dull goods.
Everywhere was the touch of swift eXecu-
ton and the policy Of anti-waste.
The Modern Mind
Italy had known too many idealists in
rags. Under invention and organization she
developed the modern mind that gives an
economic underpinning TO bright visions
Her cities OF Milan, Turin, Genoa grow
great The Fiat firm has recently been
turning out eighty camions day. All other
makers together have been turning out about
Gfteen camions a day. Pirelli Of the great
Milan rubber and wire firm, told me that
before the war he had three thousand men
and three thousand women in his factory.
Now he has three thousand five hundred
men and six thousand FIVE hundred women.
Milan has the rich Po Valley, lying between
the Adriatic and Switzerland. Turin rode to
glory on the motor and the movie. Genoa
made herself into a harbor for South
America.
The Italian woke 10 find himself The
peasant who drove a cart awkwardly with
al the mstol r. Of his grandfather became
the cool chauffeur Of Lancis or Fiat.
There are no better chsufeurs than these
Italians. who take the winding mountain
roads at high speed. flashing the bonnet
over the edge at sudden right angle turns
end passing trafic on margins that leave
half dozen inches between the wheel and
dim valley somewhere down below.
And though all the life is touched with
modernism. it carries rudiments OF past
more ancient than our mushroom civili-
zston. The Etrusean system of agriculture
has prevailed for more than twenty cen
turtles in wide areas, and to-day in many
fields white oxen draw the plough, with its
keen edge turned by foot as in the sketches
of Cotto.
(To Re Co,,tig, Nort S,,,,do,l