CORRESPONDENCE
A LETTER FROM FLORENCE '
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Will you permit me to thank you most cordially for the letter from your Rome Correspondent, published in your issue of February 20th, regarding the reforms carried out in that city by the Fascist Municipality, and to confirm the informa- tion contained in it by a similar account of the progress made under Municipal Fascism in Florence ? As your Rome Cor- respondent remarked, " There is great divergence of opinion as to the methods and aims of Fascism as a governing force, but praise is unanimous with regard to the results of three years of Fascist policy in municipal matters."
Among the most conspicuous improvements that have been introduced in Florence is the paving of the more frequented thoroughfares with asphalt, which is much leas noisy than the eobble-stones of former days, and the placing of the main tele- phone connexions undergroimd. With regard to the restora- tion of ancient buildings, those of the ancient Palace of the Parte Guelfa and of the Cloisters of Santa Maria Novella, to quote two outstanding examples only, should be sufficient to prove the civic pride of the Municipal Council. But a still greater improvement for the general aspect of the old streets is the restoration, as far as possible, to their ancient archi- tectural-dignity of the facades of the palaces that line them. rn 'scores of instances, as for example in the Via del Bardi, in the Via Tornabuoni, the Via Maggio, Via Guicciardini and many other places the old rounded windows of the fourteenth
and fifteenth centuries have been relieved of the shutters, the square window-frames and the stucco of later centuries and the modern shops which concealed the vaulted stores or fon- dacchihave been set back in the old arches.
A point that is often brought to my notice by visitors is the improvement in traffic regulation.' For the first time in history it seems as though the Municipal Guards were beginning to possess some real authority over the seething crowds of motor- cars,-carts, bicycles, and careless or terrified pedestrians who create such an appalling melee at the principal-street crossings: As your Rome Correipondent rightly observes, Fascism means nothing if not discipline, and the improvement in the behaviOur of Flotentines in this respect is 'particularly noteworthy.
The streets of Florence are certainly much cleaner -to-day than they ever have been in the past, and the beggars and other still more," unwholesonie " street-pests of great cities are. far less numerous and 'troublesome: The `attitude of the peoPltowards foreigners in these last YearA has become par= titularly courtenuSa i-ery different thing indeed froth what we can remember Only. four Year; ago.
Four.years ago, or rather less, Florence was a prey to the disorderly . and criminal section of its Population, which 'mil= dered the stay of foreigneri diffictilt, if not dangerous: Flits and ,villas _were broken into constantly by gangs of ruffians, who thOught nothing, of smashing down the house-door in broad daylight, carrying away everything valuable or Useful in the house, and stabbineor bludgeoning anyithe who pre- sumed to interfere with them ! The Gnaidia Reggia, the creation of Prime Minister Nitti," usually insulted those unfor; tunate victims who came to them to report their wrongs ; it was generally held among the people that they were in leagne with the bandits. During the-same period ladies were often jostled and robbed openly in the streets, their handbags, jewels, and furs being snatched from them ; while to have one's pocket picked. was but little less common than to have influenza. To-day I should say that one's person and pro-: periSi:dre as secure in Florence as in any English town.
Diicipline, efficiency and co-Operation between all classes are the principle,watehwords Of Fascism, and no one who has known the vicissitudes of Italian life during the last generation can question for one moment the general social progress under the inspiration of enforcement of these principles.--I am, Sir, &c.,
A FLORENTINE CORRESPONDENT.
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