"Automobilistic Snobbery"

In 1921 the steel and automobile manufacturers of Turin and Milan were among the earliest and most enthusiastic backers of Fascism. Last week the Fascist Party, grown great under Benito Mussolini, was able to do a return favor for the manufacturers, and at the same time carry on its campaign to build up Italy's commercial power.

Alarmed at the increased importation into Italy of foreign cars, chiefly from the U. S., the Royal Italian Automobile Club, Fascist-governed, announced that in future they would publish in all Fascist newspapers the names and addresses of all Italians who purchase foreign motor cars, "A proscription list for bad Italians who betray their most elementary duties to the nation out of a spirit of automobilistic snobbery."

The club's statement continued:

"Our proposed list must not resolve itself into a journalistic, polemic affair. It must be done with serious intentions. Every one must state exactly the reasons why he gave preference to a foreign motor car in order that these reasons may be studied and weighed.

"This perhaps is the only method by which to study a phenomenon which is occurring today. . . . Although Italy produces excellent automobiles, admired by and exported to the whole world, Italians purchase American motor cars in considerable numbers.

"By so doing they do double harm to the nation. First they send our money abroad to America, a country which has just dealt a great blow to our export trade (TIME, April 8, et seq.) and second they take away work from Italian industries and laborers."

At the present time nearly 25% of all automobiles sold in Italy are of U. S. manufacture. Knowing the Italian character, Italian fear of ridicule and notoriety, Rome correspondents last week agreed that the proposed list of "automobilistic snobs" would be more potent than any tariff.