Evening star., 1939-04-16

food and railroad tickets. But they
have no money to spend"
At the ofiicial government tourist
agency In Naples we were told that
more than 10000 Germans had come
to that city alone since October,
1036-12,000 per month. In return
for the money they spent for travel
coupons Italy receives large supplies
Of coal.
It is sometimes dimcult for US not
to sympathize openly with our Ital-
ian friends. One day in the little
resort OF Amaln we went to q fiesta
put on especially for tourists. The
audience was completely German
and as We watched its reactions we
were reminded Of a solid wall of
granite. The show was flop.
Later that day we were talking
with a German boy in our hotel
about some trouble with his car.
THE mechanic told me the steer
ing wheel was broken but 1t wasn't
he was just trying to get more
money. I don't see why they beg so
much. They're not poor; they al
ways have their macaroni and that's
all they need. They are just like
Chinese coolies and rice-keep Ital-
ians fed with macaroni and they'll
be all right"
Mario and his pals-all our friends
here. no matter what their station
IN llfe-bewail the fact that they are
not aligned with France and Eng
land. They don't particularly like
Frenchmen but they appreciate the
racial and cultural affinity they have
with them.
1T is too bad for U.s." Mario spread
his hands and arms in that Italian
gesture which signifies there is no
answer to the problem. I'VE have
lost much business because of the
axis. English and Americans don't
come here any more and they are
the only ones who spend money
NOW, maybe we shall have to f1oht
them. " 1e'''
In 1914 we helped destroy Ger
many and now we have built her
up again. Not because we wanted
to, but because when we were fleht-
Ing In Ethiopia three years aeo
we needed a friend. First France
and England told us to 20 ahehd
IN Abyssinia and then when We
did, they turned against us 20
nations boycotted us-everyone but
Germany; she sent us coal and
munitions and encouraging mes
sages. Mussolini will never forget
that. So now we must support the
Axis. ~
Besides, we have never got anv.
thing from France or England
Italy sacrificed $4,000 soldiers to win
the war but France and England
took everything. They promised lis
Iun1sia but they never gave it ia
us. All we got was Trieste, which
was Italian already.
And then for years Mussolini
begged them to join with him and
keep Hitler down. But they wouldn't t
even do that!"
No War, Italian Says.
We asked Mario If he didn't th,nt
Italy had got the short end of the
bargain and If, in view of Hitler.s
most recent aggression in Central
Europe, there wasn't reason to ex-
pect aggression in lands nearer and
more important to Italy. He shrur-
ged his shoulders admitting that
1t Is 1taly's turn now; that demands
for Tunisia and a fair share o1
things in Djibuti and suez would be
pressed soon.
There will be no war. THOUGH n
he assured us. England and France
don't dare fight Germany and 1taIv
together. Hitler can't fight them
without Mussolini. And Mussolinj
knows he can't permit Germany to
destroy France because that would
leave only Germany and italy left
in Europe which would be suicide
for us. Also, he knows that France
and England will always welcome
us back.
mo, there will be no war! Mus
solini will talk them all out of it
And when he talks he will say i
am Hitler's friend, but am not
in love with him. Our frontiers are
never to be discussed but always
defended. In that way the Rome
Berlin Axis stands!"
(copyfisht. 1e3e.)