The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1948-09-09
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
BY Hazel Bronnon

The outstanding impression gained
today in Italy is one of great in
dustry. All of the Italians are busy
working, men and women, boys and
girls, old and young. All over Italy,
wherever you go, the Italians are
working hard in the fields or en-
gagged in building back war-ravag-
ed home or business.
1t seems that every inch of Italian
soil is in cultivation as you travel
throughout the country, especially
in northern Italy, where is located
the most fertile soil. Every member
of the family is engaged in tilling
the land and implements used are
the crudest type. All of the planting
and cultivation and practically all of
the harvesting is done by hand, US
ing the most primitive methods, In
all Italy l saw only one tractor. In
many places I saw whole families
out in the field working, old men
and women who were surely grand
parents. In some places, ! saw men
.hitched up pulling plows where
they were apparently too poor TO
own farm animals. The Italians,
like other Europeans, make full use
of animal and human wastes for
fertilizer. The fields are beautiful
as are the rolling hills one sees from
Stresa, the fine Italian resort on
Lake Maggiore, to Milan, Florence
and Venice.
There is evidence nearly every
where of the part Italy played IN
the war, for this country was
fought all over, from Sicily north.
There was widespread damage to
the roads, now mostly repaired, and
runis of railroad and highway bridg-
.es are numerous. Many of these have
not been rebuilt and in some places
,nontoon bridges are still being used.
TRANSPORTATION goes on even though
the trains are in miserable shape.
Everywhere there is evidence OF
bombed out buildings and buildings
that have undergone Smelling, SHIPS
still lay on their sides - Naples
Genoa, and other ports.
| saw mile after mile OF homes
in Italy that were just hollow
shells. They had been practically
demolished in house to house 1lgh'-
ing all along the highways.
Here and there the American nag
floated proudly over the cemeteries
.doting the Italian countryside
wherein our lonely heroes Sleep,
Unlike England, however, the
buildings are rapidly being replaced
Bubble is stacked neatly in piles
awaiting the day when they can GO
to work on them. Italy, again un-
like England, has much stone, mar
bile. and building materials. In addl-
ton the Italians are used to work
ing with their hands. Consequently
building is more widespread In Italy
now than any other European coun-
try.
The Italians are extremely friend
1y to American visitors and seem to
do everything in their power to
he obliging and pleasing. They seem
to have only one desire-and that
is to get their jobs done with the
least possible interference and stay
out of war.
On all sides one sees what Mus
solini did for Italy, the roads he
caused to be built, the magnificent
sports palaces and other buildings
dedicated to the Qualification of the
human body.
When asked about Mussolini, the
majority of Italians will shrug and
say: "Mussolini was alright. He did
a lot for Italy. But he made the
mistake of getting in the war
They seem to regard Mussolini
as a sort of patron saint, who did a
lot for Italy, but just made one mis-
take-that of war. Nor do they
blame him for getting them into
the war.
''He could not help himself" they
win say.
at was that man Hitler"
One thing certain. The Italian:
today, do not want another war
They do not like the Russians. ano
If possible, they like the German.
even less.
There is plenty of food in Italy
except meat. The people who live
IN the country get enough to eat
Those who live in their cities d.
not fare so well. There is plenty O
food for sale in the black markets
which are so numerous they ar,
practically legal. But the averag,
Italian worker does not have tn,
money to buy in the black market
His wages have risen considerably
some 1925 per cent, but the price
paid for food and clothing have vir
tually doubled. A new suit o
clothes costing around $4,000 woul,
4af- II