Evening star., 1939-11-14
Musso|ini Has Lost
No Popularity at Home
Traveller Is Told
People Don't Like Nozis,
Would Fight for Them; -
Tourist Trade Not VitoI
fFUth OF a Series.)
By WILLIAM l.. WHITE.

NAPLES, Italy (Via AirmaiD.-
The clean-shaven, jowly, American
businessman who for many years
has lived in Italy representing the
large interests of one of Americas
greatest manufacturers sat in a
leather easy chair in the hotel bar.
We were all drinking Martins.
Italian Martins are very good. We
had had three rounds.
Don't you believe it," he said,
fixing me with his sharp blue eyes.
THE Old Man is more popular in
Italy today than he ever was"
What about the story that they
now call him Juliet, because he is
always singing to them from the
balcony?"
Sure they call him Juliet. The
Italians are great kidders. They
have to kid even the things they
love. I could make book of Italian
stories like that on Mussolini I've
heard ever since I first came to the
country. Nobody enjoys them more
than the Old Man himself. Great
sense of humor. Knows his own
people
Anything Is Possible.
But can Italy stay neutral? Isn't
the American tourist business an
enormously important part of her
economy? Now that this money will
be cut off, where will she get the
gold to buy the food she needs from
abroad? Will the people starve?
They won't have to. Remember
almost anything is possible under a
Fascist regime. Remember that
this year Italy raised almost all the
wheat she needs for spaghetti, and
that's the main food. They'll have
to pull in their belts, of course. but
look what they've already done.
There isn't a cup of coffee in all
Italy. Not coffee beam And since
the war began, look what they've
done about oil. First raised the
price of gas to a dollar a gallon.
When that didn't cut down con-
sumption enough, they cut down the
allowance for private cars to about
Is per cent. That took almost every
car off the streets. You'll see when
you get to Italy. Nothing left but
taxis and buses. They can do any,
thing under Fascism."
Tourist Trade Not Vital.
you're butchering a wonderful
story l expected to write About
how, after year without American
tourists buying hand-worked leather
bags and gondola rides. the Italians
would be starving, and would have
to turn to England for a loan, and
get in the war;
Its better butchered. 1t isn't
true"
do the people like the Germans?"
mo. They never have. There's
nothing in common there.
would they follow Mussolini into
war allied with them?" I'm a
minute. Without a quiver. They'd
be sure the war would gain some
thing for Italy, or the Old Man
would never send them in"
They trust him that far?"
ABSOLUTELY They were all ready
to go this fall before he proclaimed
neutrality"
Won't Lose.
But suppose they lost such war
what would they do to him then?"
do you think the Old Man is so
dumb as to get them into a bind
like that?"
mo. don't"
Neither do they" Here the man
who represents great American
manufacturer fumbles in his pocket
for a card, lays it on the table.
when you get to Turin look me
up. Glad to help you in any way
I can"
"Of course, I wouldn't give you
anything unfavorable to this regime
I'm in business here"
"Is there much?"
II don't know much"
Maybe you can give me things
unfavorable to other regimes?"
Maybe I can," he said.