The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-24
BY CLARA WOLD, International News Service Special COPreSDOndeut.

1 Correspondent. l Rome, July 24-An amazing figure | in Italian politics is Don Luigi Sturzo, priest, Popolare deputy and direct | ing leader of his party. | l was prepared to meet man ra- dfating energy-a man who would brusquely receive me, make a brief statement of party principles and dismiss me, for I had heard from everyone that Don Sturzo is the busi- l est political leader in Italy. He is, fin fact, the man who reorgantzed the old Clerical party-a. party that for generations had been looked upon by good Romans as an enemy to Italian | people because of the ancient fight between the Papa1 power and the struggle for a united Italian nation. From a somewhat insignificant group of old-time leaders the party was res cued under the leadership of Don Sturzo a priest who had won liter ary fame in Italy and who had been able under most trying times to deal with the demands of industrial work CTS in whatever part of Italy he was working.
 Don Sturzo is recognized as a lib- eral thinker. It was because of his readiness to gresp new situations that he was able to rejuvenate and revo- lutionize the Clerical party, so that it now is the second in control in Parliament, the Socialists having a few more deputies
 'Ee Is a Fighter.
 ''He carries all the party pro- grammes in his head; all the orders come from him; the Catholic syndi- cates are under his control; he is never idle. And finally, he is a Si- cilian and a fighter one Italian told me.
 Turning these remarks over in my mind, entered the spacious office of Don Sturzo. A short man, slightly bent in his shoulders and dressed in priests robes, met me half way across the room coming upon me so swift ly and quietly that I felt he had with his piercing, deep-set eyes be- for had more than realized he was there. The deep lines about his mouth and nose deepened still more as he greeted me with spreading smile.
 He sat down behind his long desk, which seemed to take on tremendous proportions before him, and announ- ced at once that he would not con sent to an interview, but would be glad to take any questions I might have ready to present to him and give me a written statement at his leisure.
 Conclusively and soIemnly. as his long. pointed fingers busted them selves with his papers, he explained, "I never give interviews."A man of decision, I told myself, noticing the straight line his mouth made when
 
 Sturzo Is Busy Man.
 But for all that he laughed heart fly when I assured him quite sol emnly that this was very bad for the correspondents, and when I began questioning him he entered upon a long explanation of the programme of the Popolare party, the while he answered the telephone signed let ters to an attendant who popped in and out of old Roman doors regard less of interviews. Plainly the busi- ness of the party was not to be in terfered with.
 'The Popolare Party has a gen. eral programme that includes first of all the development of agrarian pro- duCtion ' Don Sturzo told me, be cultural country.
 With neither coal nor iron, Italy has always been handica ped in in duStrial production and certainly can not compete with other countries un- der the new methods of production. At the same time then that we de- velOp the agrarian production we wish to reduce the artificial industries, such as the production of heavy metals. In this way we shall be able to form conditions desirable for foreign capi- tai.
 To Build Up Shipping.
 And, thirdly, we wish to build up our shipping, especially for trade in the Mediterranean and Black Seas
 Italy has, found herself in bad way economically for several reasons She is exporting less than she used to; there are fewer tourists than there used to be- and those who come spend less money; and finally her emigra- tion has been stopped for the time being"
 "But how I asked him, "do VOL expect to build up your production