The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-09

and the work must be done, and If these
same people who have always done 1t do
nos see the necessity. so much the worse
for them.
AND it Is fact, that in spite of their
hard excessive work. the contadini, all
through the war and since its close, have
peen the best off of the population. Most
OF them live in houses belonging to the
proprietor for whom they work, and on
whose soil their families have often been
living for generations. So they have no
rent to pay. and they are able to Guilt
vate what vegetables they need, and to
keeT chickens and so have eggs when
other people have been suffering for the
want of them. AS nearly all peasants
especially in Tuscany, work on the meg
zadria," the half share system, they
divide all farm products with the land
lord and so do not lack the staples of
life such as grain and oil and hay and
food for their beasts. These are the
people who have gained by the war.
They have asked what prices they
chose for their products as they brought
them into town to sell, and when the
government fnterferred and established
a "calmiere.' reduced price, the va
rfous farm products would disappear
from the shops and market, and we
could not buy eggs nor fruit nor yege-
tahles. They have not brought them
In, the shopkeeper would say patiently,
when customers complained of the short
age And 1t seemed impossible to force
tho contadini to bring things for sale
If they did not feel like 1t.
These are they who have grown. IL
at least not rich, vastly better off than
they were before the war At the Monte
del Pasch of Siena, one of the oldest
banks OF the region, the largest deposits
have been those made by the contadini
who have not only drawn the subsidy
given by the government as compensa-
ton for the services of the members of
their families under arms, but have made
goodly sums on the sale of their produce
at high prices, articles in which they
have had what one might call a monop-
oily. 1t is quite true now that some of
these contadini who have been working
for generations on this share system
above referred to are worth more than
their padoni or masters and could In
a number of cases buy their own share
of the estates from their owners.
One sees this increase Of income in the
dress Of the people. especially among the
women and girls When I was at Vinci.
recently, on the occasion of the comment
grafton of Leonardo. in this his native
village, the place was full of people from
all the country round about from remote
Villages, from the railroad. Among them
were many dressed in the most expen-
sfve materials, wolfe, fine muslins. and
saw two little girls whose dresses were
OF bright red silk. and who wore elab-
crate hats This was absolutely absurd,
FOR the simple respectable peasant women
have never dressed like this, and their
best gown, worn at their weddings or for
Festival QCCacjOna 70 ho
for their burial. have always been of
dark colors, preferably black. Hats
were never worn, except around Siena.
where tie big plating hat, which WE
call "leghcrn," Is a part Of the CO.'S
tune of the country.
But among the Sinese women there IN
growing prejudice against these hats
and some OF the younger women refuse
to wear them, and prefer to tie IN Nbeir
heads in tightly drawn scarfs. It must he
understood that this foolishness in dress
Is, after all. but sort of effervescence
IL the moment, when everybody is dis
turbed and that the older and more
,snsible people cling to their Old c,,s
.on1s. a middle-aged woman said to me
1ot long ago: They may all take off
heir hats and say they are ashamed
II them, but shah never give up mine'
This same woman and an elderly man
we're exclatming against the high wages
expected in these days, while another
woman standing by Joined in the CONVEX
'atfen and said that she had been in ser
rice as n young girl. and was glad to
ret lire a month, considering herself
veil paid. There are no such wages now!
rhe prices paid to all persons EMPLOYED
IRE enormous, and without receiving
hem people do not want to work. But
hen Italy is not the only country suf-
ering in that way at present.
However, in spite of all these adverse
ann obstacles the agricIl-
ural outlook for Italy is very good. and
much better than IT has been for several
'ears Taking it for granted that the
tandards Of prices are raised enormously
n all directions and that the whole
Icale Of living Is altered, there is still
chance for successful enterprise and
,roiit TO the producer in Italy. The army
$ gradually being disbanded, and the
men coming home, and although It Is
lutte true. and unfortunately true. that
ome OF the younger men are looking
or change of occupation, and would
ather do something else beside c,'.i-
ate the soil, yet a-~great many of those
Who come from peasant families return
cry gladly to the fields which have lain
allow for so long. and are ready to
AXE up the spade and drive the oxen to
he pillow with a better zest on the land
vhich their fathers and grandfathers
cultivated before them The govern
nent has offered many premiums for the
argest results shown in the crops. and
here are important prizes waiting for
he women, especially whose work de-
arVAa II