The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-12-14
Sad Contrast
Nv ANNE o'HARE MCCORMICK

By ANNE OHARE MCCORMICK
ROME. Dec. 1O.-In two months France has
made giant strides toward recovery.
French story is always a story OF Improve
ment Day by day there is little more light
slight extension of railway service power fo-
few more factories, a trlckle OF 1000 ana
goods from one town to the next. The first
sleeping car ran the other night from Toulouse
to Paris Another bridge was opened across the
Rhone at Lyon. One by one you see closed
shops reopening in Paris. Everywhere there
is cheerful hustle of carpenters painters
and repairmen at work.
One has to be congenital pessimist not to
leave France in mood OF hope.
Contrasting life i'll Paris with life in Berlin
the Germans used to say: Zone would think
you were the victors and we the vanquished'
The comparison might be carried farther, for
France has not only won the war against Ger
many. Despite her immeasurable losses, 1t is
hard to avoid the impression that In the balance
she comes out better than any Continental
nation. Even England, for that matter, seems
more exhausted.
Coming back to Italy the contrast is start
ling. In two months conditions in this country
have deteriorated so much that the first
glance discovers change for the worse. Here
there is less of everything days and
less light, less transport, less work. less food,
less hope Only determined optimist could
see any cheer in the Italian prospect.
After two days of disturbance, no food riots
took place yesterday, but round Of the popu-
lar markets showed how explosive the situa-
ton is While the carabinieri circulated among
the stalls of Campo di Fiori. and Allied po-
licemen drove in jeeps around the edges of
the crowd, thinly clad women haggled for
caulifloWers, apples and a few rabbits-the only
meat for sale. The raucouS lvelneSS Of the
old Italian market was gone Sullen silence
enveloped the piazza where the statue of Cola
di Rienzi recalls popular rising long ago.
Groups of idle boys ripe for trouble gathered
in the narrow streets leading into the square,
and angry mutters rose from little knots of
women surrounded by hungry, barefoot chill
dren. The desperation Of the Italian women,
patient lot Injured to suffering is ominous.
When they revolt it means far more than Com
munist demonstrations or outbreaks of -eck-
less boys.
The hungry don't care much how political
crisis was resolved The struggle for power
among six parties, as intense as if the Govern
ment exercised real authority, evokes W
echoes among the populace, though there are
more political debates here, oddly enough, than
in France. The strained people in the market
place aren't greatly concerned that for h e
second time Togliatt and the Communists have
decided the composition of the Government
They stung by British Intervention in the
crisis, but all that vitality concerns them at he
moment is food.
Fundamentally, Of course this is the cause
Of instability of the Government. Even under
Allied control and in the presence OF Allied
armies its authority is less than it was two
months ago. because it is unable to start
reconstruction or relieve elementary needs.
Mr.. Eden has reminded Italy that she was
an enemy and must expect to suffer for her
sins Many Americans, including soldiers fight
ing on this forgotten battlefield as they call
it, complain that Italians are not grateful for
help given them. Soldiers have right to
complain, for they are paying terrible price
for the liberation Of this peninsula, and until
that task is finished unquestionably the needs
OF the armies come first. There is no argument
about that or about the responsibility OF Italy
as nation, for the policy that led to her ruin
is incomparably greater than that of any other
country so far freed.
That isn't the question. Starving people are
not grateful reasonable. That is true of
allies as well as of enemies, as we see in
Greece and Belgium. What is going on in
these countries and in Italy isn't revolution;
it is desperation
Before the war ends, the second struggle
begins which will tax our resources as much
as the first Whether they like it or not wheth-
er they consider people deserving or not, the
Allies have a prime interest in proving the
efficacy Of democracy to solve the awful prob
lens war leaves in its wake. There would be
no need for political intervention in Belgium
II there were more work and better dist-ibu-
ton OF food. There would be less need for u.s.
ing military force in Greece if more bread
could be diverted there.
Yesterday the first shipload of clothing and
supplies collected by American Relief for Italy
arrived in Naples. This shipload was ready
last July. 1t has been expected and prepared
for since September and comes at last in
season when floods and SHOWS impede distri-
BUTTON and diseases of exposure already
far advanced. Two othe- ships, Spanish and
Argentinian, bear supplies for the Vatican.
Soup kitchens feeding $4,000 daily in the
Rome areas have been held up for months.
Neutral ships, sailing ships, vessels unsuitable
for military transport, are available to carry
food, clothing and medicine to most devastated
liberated areas The alternative to dealing re-
alistically with the food situation in Italy and
elsewhere is communism new fascism
This is one alternative to democratic solu-
TONS If military transport cannot be spared
to start civil life going-and at this stage of
war it cannot--a small amount more must
be conjured up somehow to save the peace
wherein we are stalking everything we have
New York Times.
so THEY SAY