The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1948-09-09

HAZEL
EYES
BY Hazel Brunnon

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 ove Italy,
wherever you 60, the Italians are
working hard in the fields or en-
gagged in building back a war-ravag-
ed home or business.
1t seems that every inch of Italian
soil is In cultivation as yo6 travel
throughout the country, especially
in northern Italy, where is located
the most fertile soil. Every member
of the family is engaged in filling
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 / 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 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 m
the war, for this country was
fought all over, from Sicily north.
There was widespread damage 10
the roads, now mostly repaired, ana
runis of railroad and highway bridg-
.es are numerous. Many Of these have
not been rebuilt and in some places
pontoon bridges are still being USED.
Transportation goes on even tnougn
the trains are in miserable shape.
Evervwhere there is evidence OF
bombed out buildings and buildings
that have undergone Smelling. SHIPS
still lay on their sides at Naples
Genoa, and other ports.
l saw mile after mile OF homes
in Italy that were just hollow
shells. They had been practically
demolished in house to house flght-
ing all along the highways.
Here and there the American Tag
floated proudly over the cemeteries
doing 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
bic, and building materials. In addl-
zion the Italians are used to work
ing with their hands. Consequently
building is more widespread IN ltaly
now than any other European coun-
try.
The Italians are extremely friend
w to American visitors and seem TO
do everything in their power TO
Roc obliging and pleasing. They seem
to have only n desire-and tnat
is to get their jobs done with the
least possible interference n 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 gl~orification OF the
human body
When asked about Mussolini, the
majority of Italians will shrug and
saw: ssMussolini was alright. He did
a lot for Italy. But he made the
mistake of getting in the war"
They seem to regard Mussollnl,
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
will say.
SIT was that man Hitler"
One thing certain. The Italians
today, do not want another war
They do not like the Russians, and
If possible, they like the Germans
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 do
not fare so well. There is plenty of
food for sale in the black markets,
which are so numerous they are
practically legal. But the average
italian worker does not have the
money to buy in the black market.
His wages have risen considerably,
some 1925 per cent. but the prices
paid for food and clothing have vir-
tually doubled. A new suit OF
clothes costing around $4,000 would
take the whole months salary OF
the average skilled workman. Few
skilled workers make more than
$4,000 per month.
Prices on other commodities, es-
pecially luxury goods, such as silks