Page 77 - A Talk with Dominic Nardocchio

ISSUE : Issue 53

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1990/1/1

Pontine Marshes--they were made way back from Caesar. He built three cities on them, with irrigation. They were just swamps, outside of Rome. He took the water from the north part of Italy down to the south. Because during the summertime, the drought there was so heavy, so bad that the people, you know, almost perished without water. Bad summers. He did a lot of work. He broke down citi-es and villages, and built up buildings. He did all he could do in Italy. But then when he wanted a little expansion, you see, to send the Italians abroad. That's why he went to Ethiopia that time. And they claimed they should have that. But that was part of the Versailles Treaty of 1914. Eng? land didn't treat Italy good either in the First World War. It was a war unfinished. Oh, I never found out. I didn' body knew who was going to be t know. No- interned. (Before you were interned, did you know it was going to come?) Well, I knew that the war would come. But you see, a lot of peo? ple here turned against Mussolini, though. A lot of people, first, they went to visit him. They said that--they praised him, he was a good man. (Canadian politicians.) Yeah, politicians. Even the ordinary people here, they went and they even visited Mus? solini. He used to receive anybody. (Ordi? nary from Cape Breton?) Ordinary people from Sydney on Charlotte Street--without mentioning their names--they went to visit Mussolini, right in Rome. Of course, he re? ceived anyone, then. (Italians?) Oh, yeah. Anglo-Saxon. (Anglo-Saxon?) Yes, the Scotch people from Cape Breton, they visit? ed Mussolini: he received anybody. They went to Italy. It was a law-abiding country under Mussolini--discipline. He showed what discipline meant, see, for the people. You had to respect the laws. Not like over here. Today, especially it is today--you're not safe to go on the streets any more. Like in the United States. It's after 6 o'clock, after dark, you've got to lock yourself in. What that meant, when Mussolini was there, there was no such a thing. You could travel late at night and nobody ever molests you. Because all those people that were no good, he just did away with them. They were all ex? iled, shot, and destroyed. Law and order. (Well, that's easy to say. But sometimes people that he might think are no good might be people that you and I might think are wonderful.) Yeah, well, I don't know, I wonder.... (How did you find out you were going to be interned--placed in a concentration camp?) Just, the day that Mussolini declared war, they came in the shop and--the Mountie came in asking me if I was Dominic Nardoc? chio. I said, "Yes." He said, "You're un? der arrest." I said, "What for?" "You know Mussolini declared war on England?" "Well, what have I got to do with that?" I said. "Well," he said, "the order came from Ot? tawa. Take you in." So they took me in. (They took you in. Where did they take you?) The city jail. But I came home here, I told my wife, and (then) they took me to city jail. And there I found, we were 13 that night there. (Thirteen Italians.) Yeah. (In the city jail.) Yeah. (Took them right out of their shops or wherever they were.) Wherever they were, they arrested, took them there, yes. And then during the evening there was--I don't know--4 or 5 natives (locals). I "WeCcome to your tiome away from home! These signs invite you to come moke new friends and experience a unique way to enjoy Cape Breton's famed hospitaiity. For more information, drop in at any Cape Breton Tourist Bureau or write to P.O. Box 1750, Sydney, N.S. B1P6T7 1-800-565-9464 Attention; Ray Peters 'ienvenue cHez nous! Aux etabiissements arborant ces enseignes, vous trouverez des hotes choleureux qui vous feront decouvrir I'hospitallte legendaire du Cap-Breton. Pour plus de renseignements, odressez-vous a n'importe quel bureau d'information touristique du Cap-Breton ou ecrivez a M. Ray Peters, C.P. 1750, Sydney (N.E) B1P6T7 1-800-565-9464 COMPLETE INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES FOR CONSTRUCTION ?? INDUSTRY ?? HOME OWNERS Phone 539-0631 Miller Industrial Sales Complete Line of Hydraulic Hoses & Fittings ?? Honda Power Equipment Hand Tools, Saws, & Shovels ?? Stihl Power Saws ?? Rainwear Industrial V-Belts"* Rope--Poly & Wirerope"* Portable Compressors 803 GRAND LAKE ROAD ?? SYDNEY Sales & Service

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