The Snowflake herald., 1920-12-31
ITALIANS EAGER
TO RETURN TOU.S.
Men Who Served Under PerShinu
and Returned to Native
Land DiSiIIuSioned.
WIVES ALSO DISSATISFIED
Lower Wages and Lack of Modern
Dwellings Bring Longing for Amer
ica-Food in Country Districts
Higher Than in Cities.

Rome-All over Italy, in villages
and towns, there are hundreds of
Italo-American ex-soldiers longing to
get back to the United States, and
only waiting until the vendemnia, OF
harvesting of the grapes, is over
How they came to return to their na.
tive land when they loved America,
American cities and American ways
is through one of the mistaken ideas
of many ex-soldiers, who imagined
that once war was over they would
be happy in Italy, although they had
fought in France under General Per
shing and had lived and made good
money in America for many years
When the armistice came and these
Italo-Americans were given a chance
of being demobilized in France they
jumped at it, because at that time
there was a rumor that fabulous
prices were being paid to workmen in
Italy. This fairy tale was true at
that time, as the government had still
in operation her ammunition fac
tories. and, Of course, wages were
kept at a high level, but, as the wages
of farmhands and workmen of all
sorts had also increased, the cost of
living had increased more than three
times in price compared to pre-war
schedules.
Suffer a Great DisiIusion.
Impulsively they sent for their fam
lilies. who very often had to sell all
they owned in order to pay for the
steamship ticket to Italy Then many
families settled down to live with the
parents of the husband or wife, and
after short while suffered a great
disillusion, as things were not what
they had imagined. While they had
been away from their native land
they had thought of it as picturesque
and beautiful, with an ideal climate
and congenial conditions. They for
got the discomforts Of the old home
with its lack Of running water and
modern improvements which these
TtalO-Americans had grown accus.
toned TO in the new land of freedom.
The husband could put up with it.
but the wives could not as in many
villages-in fact, in nearly all those
of Central Italv-the water must be
carried from the village fountain,
Whenever any washing was to be
done the clothes in most cases had to
be carried often a mile to the river,
as the supply of water in the villages
is never sufficient for washing clothes
~. xxhn
only become accustomed to running
water in their houses, hut also to
modern washing machines, this way
of washing did not appeal and they
would not walk down to the washing
place. but paid a woman to do their
work This meant a great deal Of
money every week, as Americans are
considered to be millionaires or very
near it. so the prices asked were al
ways very high.
Food Costs More Than in Cities.
Then the cost of food now is some
times higher than in the cities, as the
nroduce in villages is generally what
is left over from that exported tc
town Besides, plumbing in Italy, ex
cept in the big cities, is absolutely un
/ known: only primitive ways of bath
ing are INDUCED in and q bathroom
in village house is unknown. ms
Is due TO the great lack of water in
villages all over Italy, although IT
reality in out-of-the-way woods there
are wonderful springs. but the water
rms TO waste. as these sources are
far removed from the villages anc
towns.
In one small village, in the prov
i ince of Rome, called San Felice, near
/ " all the male adult population over
! +wentv-five years old had been t.
/ America made a little money, re.
I turned to their families and bough'
a little vineyard, which they worKe'
1 until a longing to return to the new
countrv forced them to take snip ahC
loave for New York. Some of these
mon have been four or five times II
America, speak English and are long
ing to go again.
Many of them returned TO Itaiy L
serve their time during the war, ah'
onlv now wait an opportunity to ge
away. Emigration now is not so easy
as one must have a job ready TO stel
into as soon as the ship reaches New
York. Many of them, who have then
families growing up and whose wives
have never beeEt 20 America, are plan
ming to leave their families ana g
over for a year or so. Those Whos'
wives have been to America and hav'
lived there are returning with thel
families, as the wives refused 10 re
main behind, as they find Italy to'
dirty.