Evening star., 1939-11-22
Italian Sees Most
0fHis People in Favor
OF Allied Victory
ItoIy Would Aid Reich,
However, if She Thought
Berlin Could Win
(TDeltth OF a Series.)
By WILLIAM l., WHITE.

ROME, Italy (By AirmaiD The
fashionable cocktail hour in Italy Is
$50 and there were four OF us In the
bar Of the Hotel Excelsiore, which
is just down one of Rome's seven
hills from the American Embassy
and across the street from the Min
istry of Popular Culture. There was
the slender and charming Italian,
his friend who was also a member
Of the party but not so charming,
the very vehement young American
newspaperman and myself
The slender ana charming Italian
had just said he thought most of the
italian people hoped the French and
British would win.
But how can you say that" said
the American newspaperman We
hemently, when the Italian papers
continue to be mildly pro-German?"
The slender and charming Italian
smiled, But what have re Italian
newspapers to do with what re peo-
pie Of Italy feel? Do you not think
am right, Angelo?"
Circulation Drops.
"Yes," said the Italian who was not
30 charming. Particularly the peo-
pie Of the north like the allies and
hope they will win. And you will
notice that the circulation of the
governments big evening paper has
gone down by hundred thousand,
and instead people buy the osserva-
tore Romano, which" and here he
looked at me, ''is the Papal news
paper"
But doesn't the government sup
press 1t now and them"
Not any more, but I have heard
that In Turin last week the police
buy up from all the newsstands
every copy of one edition of the
Osservatore which has something
they do not like"
$50 we can't send out a story say
Ing they've suppressed the Pope's
newspaper" said the vehement
American.
%r No Sale in Villages.
"In the villages it is not Sold"
said the not-so-charming Italian
People fear others will see that they
buy it instead of one of the govern
ment's newspapers. Only the priests
read 1t who subscribe by mail"
What is in the Osservatore?"
asked.
Mostly news about beatifca-
tions," said the charming Italian,
''but also sometimes interesting
sings about foreign affairs. And,
oh, must tell you-Angelo, prob
ably you also know this-we have a
friend named Luigi who is veree,
veree much for re French and Breet-
ish-he hope gay will'ween. So now,
when he meet some one who is veree
pro-German, Luigi listen while he
talk and zen he say to him, very
gravely, My friend, are you not
afraid to talk as you do? How do
you know what Is today the policy
of our government? Might it not
be dangerous for you if some one
hear you talk like zees, and sink
maybe you oppose the party?'
80 zen re ozzer man say qveek,
oh, no-no-no-no!-He mean nozz-
ing like zat,' and zen he shut up,
because he sink maybe Luigi know
somesing he do not. Because Luigi
is for re, Franch and Breetish, he
amuse himself in Zees way. It is
very comic"
We agreed that it was.
Italy With the Winner.
"But both of you tell me this"
I said: What possible combination
of circumstances could bring Italy
into this WARP"
The slender and very charming
italian thought a minute. "Zere is
onlee one" he finally said. "zat
would be if it turn out that our
government has made a misjudg-
ment on who will be re weeners of
Zis war"
"Yes?"
"In Eat case, 7 sink Italee would
come in to help re Germans before
Ee end Of it."
81 see."
"zat is veree Italian, you would
say?" and he smiled charmingly.
II would not say anything I am
In Italy to write, not to say" And