Evening star., 1949-08-22
Naples, Approaching
Prewar Normally,
Enjoying Prosperity
By John P. Leococos
North American Newspaper Alliance

NAPLES, Aug. 22.-This first
year that Italy and Western Eu-
rope most nearly approach pre-
war normality, ex-GIs may be
happy to learn that Naples has
travelled a long way from the
miserably cold and squalid city
they knew in war-torn 1943.
Now Naples is so brisk and busy
that old inhabitants wonder how
long it'll last. They say that II
a Neapolitan can't grippe he ex-
plodes. And since there isn't too
much cause for complaining at
the moment. the Neapolitan feels
pretty bad!
Further, the Neapolitans are
mad because they can't hear
themselves think. they say. There
is too great roar OF tramc-
from one of the best transporta-
ton systems in Italy-a bus or
streetcar every few minutes. In
the old days, the lament goes,
Naples was so quiet people
laughed and spoke out loud just
to hear the silence crack.
Tourists jam City.
Be that as it may, the metrop-
oils of Southern Italy, called by
Italians the "mezzogiorno" or
moon" has few immediate pros
poets of losing the peculiar wor-
ries prosperity has brought. The
port is booming. Ten thousand
displaced persons ship out every
month. Tourists pour in by every
ship. The government has just
announced plans for major recon-
struction projects. Even the cave
dwellers have been resettled IN
better, if still crammed, quarters.
Typical progress is in the fam
fly of Attilio Giavatto, So. This
correspondent once shared a Ger
man air raid with the Giavattos.
Attilio and his wife Maria, 81,
today are obviously fatter. Their
daughter Mara, 20, who was just
q skinny runt six years ago, Is
now a honey haired beauty.
Another Neapolitan friend, An
gelo Rosolino. 80, demonstrates
the change even better. When
first We met in 1943. Angelo ran
the Red Cross ice cream bar here.
Encountered again in 1946. An
gelo was co-owner Of the fanciest
night club in town, the Conchig-
liza. This year Angelo is bartender
at the Excelsior Hotel. Naples
plushiest, just as he was before
the war. Now he's thinking OF
opening his own place.
Examples of Reactions.
Tourists visiting Naples for the
first time might not think condi-
tions so rosy. Arriving in town
on the train, this correspondent
overheard an American woman
asking her husband:
How old did you say this place
was?"
"oh, about 1000 or 5000 years"
"Humph!" said the wife. 1T
looks every day of it,"
. Later, leaving Naples on an
other train, a traveller from Bonn
bay, India, also seeing Naples for
the first time, remarked how
clean the city was and how few
beggars he saw. It depends on
where you come from.
. Clean, even with postwar re-
! vival, Is hot the word for Naples,
of course, though the city hap
pens to have one of the best
water supplies in Italy. No Naples
alley these hot days ever has the
aroma Of roses. Romantic Naples
must as ever be seen from dis
tance, lolling in the Garden OF
Oranges on the edge OF town,
gazing through the moonlight at
the famous bay and Vesuvius
across it.
While tourists and get-rich-
quick brokers can afford such de
luxe pastimes. thousands; OF
Neapolitans still live on shoe
string and ready smile. The
trick Of the war days. OF buying
and selling American soldiers
friendship" has been freshened
up to buying or selling American
tourists friendship"
Crooks Taken Philosophically.
It works thus: A Neapolitan
cordially and courteously scrapes
up acquaintance with a visitor.
offering to show him around and
hoping for a tip. He parades his
new "friend" around where his
fellow rascals can see him. One
of the other Neapolitans then
bites, paying the first rogue and
hoping to cash in on some slick
trick, The switch in guides is ex-
planned to the poor tourist as a
family matter. .
The police take these classic
cheap crooks Of Naples philo-
sophically. The police, incidental
ly, are not Neapolitans because
the rules Of the public security
force forbid men being stationed
in the towns of their birth. APP
parently having taken on some OF
the free and easy mood OF the
town, one rugged-looking sergeant
said to me:
What would you expect? It's
really true what the poet said
about the Neapolitans. For a
bit of happiness today, they are
willing to pay any price tomor-
row. So he steals, has a fine
meal, and goes to jail, If caught.
with a tranquil mind"