CORRESPONDENCE SECTION THE COMMITTEE FOR CORRECT REPORTS UPON TO THE EDITOR OF THE National Review. 14 VIA NUOVA, FLORENCE, ITALY. WE, the undersigned members of the British Colony in Florence, claiming collectively by long experience and intimate relations with Italians of all classes to know more of public opinion in this country than any single newspaper correspondent can possibly do, desire to protest in the strongest possible terms against the manner in which the state of public affairs in Italy has for a considerable time past been misrepresented to a large and important section of the British Press. As guests in this country, we make no comment on its internal political policy, which is not our concern, but we wish to state most clearly and emphatically that there exists here to-day nothing that can be justly termed either tyranny or suppression of personal freedom as guaranteed by constitutional law in any civilized land. We believe that the present Prime Minister, Signor Mussolini, enjoys the enthusiastic support and admiration of the vast majority of the Italian people, who are patriotically co-operating with him in building up the economic welfare of the country, and who are contented, orderly, and prosperous to a degree hitherto unknown in Italy, and probably without parallel at the present time among other great European nations still suffering from the War. (Signed) GEORGE DICK-LAUDER (Chairman). T. DALRYMPLE DUNCAN. W. P. HENderson. SHERRETT LAWLESS. ALGERNON J. PILKINGTON. R. W. SPRANGER. ERNEST TAYLOR. R. E. WORTHINGTON. April 8, 1926. "WASH" v. "STEW." (By a Correspondent.) A NEW Health Society has been formed with the laudable object of teaching the British Public what to eat and when to eat it. As a hint of its coming propaganda the honorary secretary of the movement (Dr. Belfrage) issued this challenge to all gourmands and some gourmets: I should say that at least 70 per cent. of the illnesses with which doctors have to deal is due to faulty habits of eating. The Society contemplates issuing leaflets and delivering lectures on a lavish scale, but the difficulty is to persuade the right people-the over-eaters and the wrong-eatersto read the one or to attend the other, and I fear its literature and eloquence may be wasted. Undoubtedly many persons eat much too much and are indecently indifferent as to what they eat or as to how it is cooked. Quantity is what they demand-not quality. On the other hand, those who prefer quality to quantity not infrequently make themselves ill by the richness of the cooking they affect, deluged with cream and other bilious substances which necessitate annual cures at repulsive foreign watering-places in order to give their poor insides a chance of recovering from the strain to which they have been subjected. Good and simple cooking is extremely rare because there is little demand for it, either by gourmands or gourmets. Even the art of making tea is rapidly disappearing from English social life. The new Health Society would indeed prove a benefactor if it would and could teach the present generation how to make a drinkable cup of tea, which demands what it rarely gets-firstly, a heated teapot; secondly, freshly boiled water; thirdly, the proper allowance of tea in order to avoid both tasteless "wash " or poisonous "stew." When made tea should be drunk and not stand. SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION SETTLEMENT IN THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA (The Largest British Community in Africa) THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY & SUNSHINE The 1820 Memorial Settlers' Association is prepared to consider applications from: Trained farmers-Single, with minimum capital of £600. Married, with £800. Public School Boys-age 17 to 20 years, 3 years' training, capital £,1000. Single men (of any age, subject to discretion of Committee), without agricultural experience, with a minimum capital of £1,500. Married men, with a minimum capital of £2,000. Persons without any pre-conceived intention of farming, but with assured incomes, who are in search of easier living conditions and opportunities for their children. Free training and expert guidance. The Association is purely patriotic and works in co-operation with the Oversea Settlement Department of the British Government. Its sole object is to introduce, help and safeguard settlers of the right type. Intending settlers are urged not to commit themselves as regards investments in land in South Africa without consulting the Association. Full information can be obtained from the Secretary, 199 Piccadilly, London, W. 1, or from the Organiser for Scotland, 30 Rutland Square, Edinburgh. UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, THE GRESHAM PRESS, LONDON AND WOKING |