The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-09-12

AfAFhAdA4 WI bpAnf-pAl
WITH Foreign Minister Dino
w Grand seated beside him
at the captains table and he
himself wearing his gold-braided
evening dress uniform and at his
throat the cross and red collar OF
a commentators of the crown Of
Italy, Commandante Antonio
Lena of the Conte Grande-for
all the average ferryboat COM
muter might understand-could
have been Caesar at the games.
To express it another way, the
italian line boats have gay fun
nels painted red, white and green,
whereas most of the liners wear
a drab yellow or black.
The Italian shippers telegraph
commands to their engine rooms
as If conducting an orchestra,
tossing the brass lever over to
"adagio," working up on the in
dicator to "mezza forza" and
"tutta forza" rather than merely
"full-speed ahead"
This Latin touch is pre-eminent
in Commandante Lena, only cap
tain the Conte Grande ever had,
who now is leaving her to COM
mand the new super-liner Conte
di Savoia, which sails on her
maiden voyage in November.
He is reserved. even brooding,
not garrulous. His English, which
may startle the unwary, is almost
the dialect of the stage.
Describing hard work during
his early years at sea, he remem-
bers, Il polisha brass, scruba
da deck"
He is patrician in features and
in the whole set of his 1.-the figure
and gray hair. He is urbane and
imperious, and also a realist.
He is SIS now, seasoned in his
profession and sure of command.
WET he tipped his cap serious
\ ly to the plaster head of
Mussolini in the corner of his
cabin All, yes, the big boss"
On the wall, also, is a life-size
photograph of Mussolini making
a speech, while two other photo
graphs of him adorn the desk.
The interesting flicker of differ
ence between a vivacious race and
a stodgy one is all spread out in
the picture frames on the cap
tain'S cabin wall.
Secretary of State Stimson,
who told Commandante Lena
verbally that he never had such
a fine trip, is represented by a
photograph inscribed with sin
cere appreciation" Ex-Sheriff
Thomas M. Farley, here, has
commissioned the captain spe-
cial deputy.
On the other hand, Senior
Grandi remembered him with
"affeto." Italo Balbo took him to
his heart as a sailor and comrade,
while the portrait of Gabrielle
D'AnnunZio wished him lung
hissimo corso" and himself a short
course.
There's warm and colorful
element here which northern
languages don't express.
Being seaman, though, Com
mandante Lena is utterly cosmo-
politan as concerns ships. When
MusSolini makes one of his
speeches about we Italians have
been sea dogs immemorially" he
might be thinking of the COM
mandante personally.
n n
LIS family has gone to sea
= from the beginning. He was
born-"launched" might be the
truer word-across the street from
the Shipyard of Riva Trigoso.
He went to navigation school at
II, then served his apprenticeship
on ships of his family and alto
gether has been a sailor more
than thirty years.
Captain Paolo Lena, his father,
a stern and bearded old gentle
man, founded the family business,
running three sailing ships in the
Mediterranean, principally carry
ing wine.
The four sons still own the fleet;
1t has five ships now, up to $50
tons. Two are officers on big
ocean going ships, while the
others stay home and manage the
business.
Becoming captain of a big ship
such as the crack Conte di Savoia