Evening star., 1941-03-16
AND PROUD OF |T!"
by Louis Adaznic
Author Of om Mony Lands ""y The Natives Return, etc.

YN Little Italy of of large cities ffteenyear
old boy home from school one afternoon recently
and tried to end his life He alone in the house. and
would have succeeded if his father had not home early
that time to turn off the and run for doctor
why did you it, SOM? the father asked when the boy
had been revived and put to bed
Because everybody laughing the Italian soldiers in
Africa and Albania he said land laughing at and
saying that Italians yellow. 1t driven It's
terrible to be Italian.
This afternoon in school of the kids put newspaper
story my desk while out of the The article
razzed the Italian people, and there was written
in pencil Somebody did that because my is
Italian But I'm not Italian I'm American
Il wanted to fight him, but didn't know who he was
didn't look around to see maybe he watching how
took it, though wanted to- guess afraid lot of em
knew about read part of the article then crumped it
up and threw under my desk. tried to act like it didn't
matter to me- But it did When got home, just couldn't
stand it. I'm sorry Dad know it isn't your fault
born in Italy
The boys father MIR. r. to the United States from
Italy with his parents when he thirteen He served in the
American Army during the World War Now lie is an insur
ance agent He lives Little Italy because most of his bus
there and because he house there although
both he and his children would like to He considers
himself Americanized He reads American books and maga
zines and three years ago. after coming of the
things have written the immigrants and their American
born children, he started to correspond with me-
met him last summer, when drove through his city,
and talked with him. Mussonis declaration of had up
him. and he thought Americas stab in the back reac
ton it bad for Italian Americans Many of us, he
said, feel that on the spot
Now he wired me: could he and his to
on an urgent personal matter? When they arrived Mr. r.
and went into my study while his stayed in the living
with my wife.
t1Es good kid" Mr. R. said, after telling what had
happened And he has fine school record But he's ens
tive and he isn't entirely his mothers death Lately
he's been unusually quiet But has everybody else in the
neighborhood and wasn't especially worried about him. But
night the time the Greeks took Kos he snapped
at me turned the radio for news broadcast He
studying he said and he didn't want to hear that stuff
anyhow Now this Can't you talk to him, and help
him, without letting you know what he tried to do?
told him was coming here to you on business
When sat down to lunch, turned the radio to
broadcast and there mention of Italian retreats
After switched off the radio Mr.. r. and exchanged few
remarks about Mussoni the Italian soldiers The boy
tense and all ears
These defeats said, don't prove that the Italians
poor soldiers people here The Italians great
fighters under Garibad when they fighting for liberty
because liberty good But their present
bad one; and they know it. They that MuSsolni has
icked them into this They know that Musson isn't
their leader but simply Hers executive officer in Italy.
And if the Italians don't feel like fighting for Hitler that looks
to me like sign of intelligence, not of cowardice.
Mr. r. interrupted 1T would help lot of other Italian
Americans if they could things in that way, he said.
Many of pretty miserable these days"