The New York herald., 1921-07-03
ITALIAN PROFITEERS
FEEL GRIP OF TAXES
Era of Easy Money and Mad
Spending Coming to an
End Among Sharks.
ROME SCENE OF ORGY
One Woman at Opera Wears
DecOllete With Green
Chemise Peeping Out.
ROME SCENE OF ORGY
ALL PINCHED BY PRICES
Those Who Did Not Wiring
Money From War Expert
encing Great Hardships.

specioI Correspondence to THE New YORK
HERALD.
ROME. June 22-Halfway down the
Corso on the right hand side Is
large shop window. the back of when
is draped in black velvet, and just In
front of the glass are two little dolls,
one male and the other female. They
are beautifully clothed; he fat, POM
nous little man in evening dress COM
plete. with gold studs, links and watch
chain: she, also fat and pompous, In
silks and diamonds and pearls.
notice simply says, "Pescicane and
Pescicania" (Mr. and Mrs. Shark.
This is the title by which profiteers
are known in Italy. and although Italy
is known as a poor country pescl-
cane" and his wife are very numerous,
and were, till few weeks ago. much
more so.
Mr.. and Mrs. Shark have been the
butt of the Romans ever since the
war, and it was the fortunes made In
the war which paved the road which
led them to Rome, and thus the
proverb was fulfilled also in their case.
The average Romano di Roma" did
not worry about people coming to
Rome with lots Of money to spend.
Thew were either the rich Italian
aristocracy, the descendants OF BY
gone papal families, or foreigners.
II thew were the latter, whether I'll
sirnor Inglese" or the American mil
lionaire (all Americans are million
aires to the Roman) or the fat Ger
man the treatment always ended the
same: he was skinned to the utmost
limit possible, though perhaps the
modus operandi might differ slightly.
according to circumstances.
The "shark" Is Despised.
hut when the "pescicane" arrived In
Rome the Roman took an instructive
dislike to him. Naturally he was to be
robbed but he was also to be despfsed,
hecause his money came by the sacri-
flee of others. The real Roman Is only
. pere fraction of the populace or
Pone IT, ,a therefore In the Roman.
diaiec. s:,eatres and papers that one
sees ybc feeling of the Roman Tor the
pescicune.
con known in Rome since the famous
season of 1911, the year which cele-
brated the cinquantenario of United
Italv and the establishment of the
Italian Parliament at Florence. That
wear was famous because the Govern
nent and people made a special effort TO
attract foreigners to Italy to celebrate
the occasion. This year however, De
sides a flood of foreigners to the coun-
try Italy never has had so much paper
money to throw away. Everything went
with a. boom. The new born millionaires
aent their sons ana
ssushtsrs to Rome to get into society.
the nouyeau richie from the south
Aocked to the capital to attend the balls
and receptions given on all SIDES. Ihe
pescicane had to spend his money and
thought the industrial boom would last
forever In this he has been disap-
pointed. like many others outside Italy,
but he had his fiing while 1t did last ana
hax returned to his province poorer
but.probably happier man.
Where Money Came From.
where did the Shark family get
Issaetx money? Many Of them were small
fnctory owners, who in the war sold
eiaatr concerns. turned into companies OF
TIA biz metallurgical eyndicates for the
manufacture of munitions. They got
ont In tho boom of 1919-1920. Others
were interested in the supply OF war ma
tarial from abroad or owned cargo
boat which was probably sunk some
were employees Of the big companies
VINO. from inside knowledge. were able
TO speculate. A little inside knowledge
was a useful thing when Gotten shares
last Juno doomed to 1876 per cent above
December. 1915; hemp and linen TO
9B1h per cent, and many other INDUS
trials TO $50 per cent. 1t was not any
thing different to what has been done IN
other countries.
The majority, having made the money.
GOOD for them. They took to sport like
ducks to water. II they could not join
the hunt It was no reason why they
should not drive out to the meets on the
Campagna. II they could persuade any
one to put them UP for the golf club 1t
was the thing to do. But the chief pre-
occupation of the SHARK" family was to
get into the best hotels. which In Rene
means the best set" II they could sit
in the hotel lounge after meals opposite
the Duchess NJ. or Donna F.. or Princess
c.. and possible say "'Scuse" IL they
collided with one in the doorway. one
further step in the battle of life was as
eured. and they went to bed happy
No Price Was Too High.
II Mascagni was conducting at the
opera s0 lire (nominally $500 was not
too much to pay for a box. or $50 lire
$500 for stall The charities are almost
prosperous for once. thanks to the
money OF the profiteers and the patron
age of the titled aristocracy who sent
out the invitations and roped In the
money. At the last ball given at the
Grand Hotel. and said to be the most
fashionable of the season, 5000 lire
was taken, and the number OF guests
was limited. hundreds being refused
tickets. The sum is not enormous for
New York or London, but entrance
tickets at 100 lire for dancing and little
else were previously unheard OF in
Rome.
Racing has been an enormous sue
cess, previously only patronized by a
few hundred people who could afford
the entrance fee. Vow among the coll
ors of Tesio. Rannucci and others as
we'll known the racing world over as
the Vanderbilts or Ganely. are to be
seen colors registered by men who eight
years ago were very small fry indeed
while the grandstands are always
packed with the new rich and his
world. In the clubs IL Is the same
thing. The other evening a few friends
met to celebrate the election of a
pescicane TO the Jockey Club The bill
for champagne and whlskey and sodas
arnOltnteI to he hoe Of