Smyrna times., 1932-12-28
ITALY TRIBUTE TO
GEO. WASHINGTON
Turin Names Bridge for First
President in Newly Com
pleted Span
CROSSES RIVER DORA

George Washington bicentennial has
echoed in Turin. Italy, where
recently completed bridge spanning
the River Dora has been named for
the first President of the United
States.
Turin (Torino) has features
that remind one of American cities
of a half million inhabitants" says
a bulletin from the National Geo
graphic society 1T is well laid
out with wide streets crossing one
another at right angles and many
busy squares and spacious parks
embellished with from one to four
statues.
"A traveller strOlling down its
clean streets in The shadow of we'll
kept buildings is hardly aware that
Turin and Milan, its neighbor, make
up the so-called Industrial Twin
Cities of Italy. Out of its huge
factories roll automobiles that trav-
erse the famous boulevards of the
world, and the products of the silk
and cotton mills, leather-gOods fac
tories and machine shops find their
way into world markets.
Greta Industrial Center.
american industrialists marvel
at TURNS industrial Importance
when they stand on the banks Of
the Dora and 20 rivers which flow
past the city. Neither stream is
navigable for large commercial
craft. No industrial city of half
million inhabitants in the United
States is without water transporta-
ton at its disposal.
CONSTRUCTION Of good roads and
the increasing use of motor trucks
in northern Italy have aided Turin
commerce in the last decade, but
to the railroads goes the greater
part of the credit for the city's in
dustrial and commercial prestige.
Because it is the first large city
In Italy near the Italian end Of the
Mount Gents Alps-piercing tunnel,
nearly all rail-borne commerce en-
tering Italy from the west, passes
Turin. italian railroads radiate
from the city connecting with lines
that touch nearly all great cities Of
Europe. Before the ST. Gotthard
tunnel was bored, Turin was Italy's
leading railroad center. Now it is
second to Milan.
''But the traveller is not long in
Turin until he IS assured that the
city is not wholly absorbed in I'M
dustry and the transportation Of
its products. In fact, its numerous
art galleries, splendid church build
ings. museums. and libraries lead
one To believe that its industry is
perhaps only means to acquiring
and preserving art and diffusing
knowledge.
& A Treasury Of Art.
aThe Royal palace which i a
mute reminder Of the days when
Turin was the capital of the king
dom Of Sardinia and capital Of
Italy, is a treasure chest Of historic
paintings, handsome statuary, fres-
Goes and tapestries. IN one por-
ton Of the building there is an
armory where historic suits Of ar
NOR and implements Of war are On
display. The cathedral adjoining
the palace contains a well-execut-
ed COPY of Leonardo da Yinci's
Last supper. Another Of the
prized possessions Of the edifice Is
a piece Of linen which tradition
holds Is a part Of the shroud In
which the body Of Jesus was
wrapped.
The Turin Academy Of Science
has a picture gallery with many
works Of such famous artists as
van Dyck. Rembrandt and Raphael,
and a Museum of Antiquities where
are preserved ancient Egyptian
tombs dating hack to 1900 +. G.
The Museum Of Ancient and Ap-
piled Art contains an interesting
collection Of musical instruments,
ornamental leather, medals, enam-
els. worries. and wood carvings and
one of the worlds unique collections
Of painted glasses and crystals
which records the history Of glass
painting through the ages. Art oh
jects in clay. sculptures in marble
and collections OF stones. and terra
Gotta also are on display.
''The Mole AntOnelliana, the sky
scraper in Turin, was built as q
Jewish temple. but it now is ma
tiOnal historical museum where a
collection of trophies, flags. weap.
ons, uniforms, and manuscripts il
Illustrating the struggle for united
Italy, is preserved. This building
is the highest walled structure ir
Europe. It's walls rise to within Is
feet of the height Of the washing
ton monument.
"The traveller in search OF ancient
landmarks in Turin Is disappOint
ed. Turin was quite town wher
Hannibal destroyed it In the Third
century before the Christian era
Later it was the site Of a Roman
colony, but Of this settlement onl!