THE NEW ITALY AND THE HOLIDAY MAKER.
• [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—May I briefly comment upon Mr. Strachey's article in your issue of October 13th ? I, like him, have recently returned from a delightful holiday in Italy. Mr. Strachey found only one " fly in the ointment." May I add four more, as a result of my visit to " The Newest Italy "—the area taken from Austria under the Treaty of Saint-Germain ?
1. Noise in Italian hotels. This may be unavoidable in view of the vocal Italian language and of the demonstrative Latin temperament. But it is certainly a " fly in the ointment." 2. Noise of Italian cars. This is avoidable. In no other country have I ever heard such noisy motors. If Italy wants British tourists, silencers on motor-cars should be made compulsory. 3. Uncertainty in booking accommo- dation. Few tourists who were in the Dolomites this August can have failed to have experienced inconvenience from the apparent inability of hotel managers to provide rooms when rooms had been booked and promised. 4. The treatment of the ex-Austrian population. This is the most serious of all. It is impossible to talk with Italy's ex-Austrian subjects without realising that Italy is copying the foolish
policy adopted by the Prussians in Alsace-Lorraine after 1871. The forcible suppression of the name Tirol is only an outward visible sign of an inward spiritual failing.
If Italy wants to be popular with British tourists, she should attend to these drawbacks which seriously detract from our comfort of both body and conscience.—I am, Sir, etc.,
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