ITALY: How To Be Rude

Of all European hosts, the Italians have long been the kindest to visitors from the U.S. They go out of their way to smile, to cheer, to welcome, and to give directions which may or may not prove helpful. From the Communist point of view, nothing could be worse.

Last week, reported Rome's Il Messaggero, Italy's 3,000,000 Communists got a stern memorandum from headquarters outlining a "proper code of bad manners" to be observed toward visiting Americans. Items:

¶ Women comrades must turn an indifferent cheek and pretend not to have heard Americans who speak to them. In dance halls, Communist girls "must never reserve a dance for an American; they should pretend to have been already asked by someone else. Male comrades must be ready to back them up in this."

¶ On trams or buses near an American civilian or soldier, the true Communist "must turn his back abruptly, without even looking [at the American] and without showing him any courtesy." If the American is accompanied by his wife or girl friend, the Communist traveler must "never give his seat to these women."

¶ Shopkeepers should make Americans wait, serve them last, "or better yet, they should not serve them at all, stating that the requested goods are unavailable."

¶ In the street, "never give advice or directions to Americans; instead, one must simply turn his back, showing dislike." In sports, "one must always support the opponents of the Americans."

¶ All of this, added the directive, should convince Americans that "Italian youth will never cooperate with them in case of war." Above all, concluded the directive, never let the visitors know that the nastiness was planned. "One should be rude," said the memo, "but with spontaneity."