Show r r tj w f f Z Z Z gj Fishermen ermen on Lake Garda by the National Geographic Society D D. D C. C ILAN chief city of ot the Lom- Lom M MILAN PIedmont region of ot northern Italy announces plans for a metropolitan underground railway s system stem which when completed will l have a e a total length of 50 miles The announcement announcement announce announce- announce ment ment follows another telling of the Hie completion of ot Italy's s largest railroad railroad rail rail- roa road station In Milan a n huge structure structure ture which compares favorably fa with the great grent terminals of the world Ital Italy's s Erst subway system and the biggest railway station are but milestones marking marling the progress of this mo modern ern wide awake ilke a city which had hail the first public library In Europe Europe Eu Eu- rope and was the first city on the continent to light Its streets with electricity Viewing the rich and Interesting history of this metropolis metropolis olis oUs of ot the upper Po valley Its outstanding outstanding out out- standing leadership among Italian cities Its virility through centuries and Its varied accomplishments the observer may he be Inclined to give ghe serious serious serious se se- se- se rious consideration to the boast of ot the Milanese that what Milan thinks today Italy will think to to- morrow v. Milan In the matter of ot a new subway subway sub sub- way Is hurrying Its plans because Rome also Is planning a subway system But Rome must hesitate and discuss Underneath the streets and hull buildings of modern Rome flame are foundations of ancient Imperial Roman loman monuments and parts of the Catacombs Milan faces no such obstacles and will radiate five e lines form orm the center of the time city as ns conditions conditions con con- require All Ml lv fi fiot of ot the lines two of which will reach points 20 miles away will have ha stations within with with- In n a few yards ards of each other in the Piazzo Plazzo del de Duomo A population of or more than people willbe will willbe willbe be served by this new s system stem up up-to- date in every respect Lombardy and Piedmont comprise com corn prise the plains of the upper reaches of the great Po valley alley the Alpine foothills and the southern and castern east cast eastern eastern ern slopes of a large part of the Alps themselves Milan l on a fertile fer fer- tile Ile plain cr a-cr l r the southern termini I of some of the most Important of of the Alpine passes was a town of ot I considerable Importance even In the dim historic days das of 22 B. B C. C when it t was captured by the Romans Romans- It was then as It Is 5 today a close second second second sec sec- ond city In la point of population In to InIta Ita Italy l Leader in Many Respects Milan early earned a position of ot leadership among surrounding cites cit cit cit- les ies es a n leadership however ve which did not go unchallenged The city has hns been destro destroyed ed many times once by bya a league of ot neighboring towns and at other times by alien conquerors After each destruction it has sprung up on a seemingly firmer Ormer foundation foundation tion to e acile greater renter popularity and a more far reaching far reaching Influence Apart from an any reputation Milan may have gained as us an nn Index to In Industrial Industrial In In- unrest It Is a leader lender among Italian cities In other respects Indeed Indeed In In- deed the Milanese Insist that their city their morale is In Inthe Inthe inthe the very heart and head hend of ot Italy's modern life and activity first activity InIn in In industry first In municipal progress first In political Importance Even at the beginning of ot the Eleventh century Milan was of some Importance Industrially Its han hands handi handicraft l. l craft workers turning out textiles arms and Jewelry The Innumerable wars to which Italian cities and provinces pro were subjected slowed up Its industrial development de even en after the Introduction of ot the factory factory fac fac- tory Jory system but s since the unification tion of ot Italy in 18 1870 O. O and the relative rela reia tive Ive political calm that has bas followed followed fol tol fol- fol lowed the growth of the city's Industries In In- ins been marvelous Textiles Tex tiles locomotives and electrical apparatus apparatus ap op par are arc the leading products and a long list of or metal manufactures tures could be added The Time Industrial plants of Milan have fairly burst the confines of ot the theold theold theold old city and many are ore to be found in numerous populous suburbs that have sprung up especially since th the year ear 18 1805 1505 5 The population of ot Milan Itself now numbers close to a million Its population Is exceeded only slightly If t at nil all by that of oC Naples and Is considerably In excess ex cess of ot that of Rome Home Water Power Development Interesting Is the fact that all Industries In 10 In this section of Italy are not ool dependent on 00 the Importation of ot coal and Lombard Lombard- Ian Industry has been turning more and more during recent years to the use of ot electric power power- generated from the great falls and rapids of ot the many streams that tumbling down from the heights of the Alps almost at the walls of oC the cities rim may be he made to take the place of ot lh the expensive fuel for which Italy is dependent on foreign countries Milan is today a way halfway way house for tor people rushing up and down the earth from the Mediterranean to the Alps from Venice to Como Itis Itis it itis is is so very well known so o very ery crowded so bus busy so bustling one feels there Is s nothing more to i ne e told of ot her Perhaps because she seems so entirely modern because she bears so so few traces of or her earlIer earlier ear ear- lier Iler years ea because while her sister cities clUes point so proudly to Etruscan to Greek to early Roman remains she Invites the visitor to contemplate contemplate plate her Vittorio Emanuele Emanuele Eman Eman- uele one peels feels she does oes not appreciate appreciate elate her past It t Is not so she has been literally trampled Into the dust lust so often she would have nothing but scars to I show but for the Invincible in courage i which made her Instantly build on her ruins the foundations of ot yet greater grenter things Glan Ginn Galeazzo who made the time Certosa Certosa tosa possible did much for Milan To him we owe the cathedral one of ot the largest In n the world What joy must ha have hae e been his to see those wonderful structures growing to know that from his care they came Milan 1 cannot hold an anyone one long who remembers that Lake Lale Como Is but two short hours away with open air pictures far lovelier lo than any that Milan's rich museums hold The little town of ot the same name at fit the time southern end of the time lake Is quaint enough It has a charming cathedral ral It looks strul straight ht up to the snow peaks but It Is not a place to linger choose rather some quieter place pInce farther up the time lake lak Caden Caden- nabia nabin Bellagio Beauties of the Lakes When people speak of oC the Italian lakes It t Is usually Como and Its neighbors that are meant Como Come which Is all Italian Lugano which Is largely Swiss and Maggiore which Is s largely Italian but there are others very tiny perhaps but also lovely Orta Varese mid and to the east Isea Isen Idro above e nil all beautiful beautiful beautiful beau beau- Lake Garda whose upper end was Austrian So many poets have sung their charms for twenty centuries centuries cen cen- so many artists depicted d their beauties beauties what remains for ungifted ungifted un un- gifted lovers ers to say 51 Which Is the loveliest Who knows Undoubtedly Lake Como Is la lathe the most popular And does any visitor fan fall to row across Its blue satin satiny surfaces to the marble steps i of the Villa Carlotta to see the I Frieze e and Can Canovas Canova's as Cupid and Psyche Lugano Is quite a different lake from Como although so near near but but buta a single rocky ridge c. c an nn outlying I sp spur f of ot the great Alpine chain be be- I be-I tween It Is s wonderfully p picturesque with Its steep wooded sides and quaint towns pink and yellow and mauve maU staged upward from the lake like Ilke galleries at a theater If It there are arc fewer luxurious villas fewer rich over gardens there Is Ismore Ismore ismore more of romantic naturalness On Como one senses luxuriously a 2000 years old on Lugano one feels ageless natures nature's unmatched loveliness lo It If largely Swiss politically In n appearance Lugano Lugano Lu Lu- gano Is Is wholly Italian the Italian the half halt wild Italian which recalls the ancient nn an dent clent loving freedom Celt Cell not that which reminds us of polished Home Rome Lake Mag Maggiore Is almost as well weli known n as much traveled as ns Como Corn Its Individuality Is s Just as strong as that of the other two VO to see one Is b by no means to see all nil One must travel up and aud down It by bo boat boatin t tIn in the morning light and In the sunset sunset sun suo set glow Clow One must make excursions excursions along Its shores and and- to the Islands which float so picturesquely on Its Us surfaces One must climb the rocky y hillsides about it and get gel new and surprising views of ot Its size and splendor One must see It In storm as ns well us as sunshine see the white snow to to the northward northward north north- ward sharply defined against the f blue sky look in vain for Cor peaks t m that are hidden In swirling masses m of ot mist and cloud |