ITALY: Sinistra, Signora!

Even pretty women have been cautioned by Roman policemen, during the past two years, whenever they have "kept to the right" in walking alo.ng the Corso Umberto, famed shopping thoroughfare.

All pedestrians should have "kept to the left," by command of Prime Minister Benito Mussolini; but until last week the order was never enforced. A young or pretty transgressor would experience no more than a gallant pressure upon the arm from a policeman who murmured mellifluently, "Sinistra, Signora." Usually the pressure and the suggestion were ignored by willful females, stubborn males—until last week.

Suddenly and sharply policemen barked, "Sinistra, Signora!", "Sinistro, Signore!" Those who disobeyed were roughly collared and questioned: "Your name, Signora? Your age? You must answer, Signora! Your father's name? Your mother's maiden name?"

On the morning after this sort of thing began, last week, all 'Roman newspapers printed the names, ages and all supplementary information obtained from the Signore and Signori who had been caught "walking wrong" on the Corso Umberto. Fifty women and men were thus pilloried. On the second day it was necessary to pillory only one woman, nine men. On the third day "walking wrong" had practically ceased.

Wags warned:

When in Rome walk as the Romans do.