Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-09
Bourbon and Bo7shev,st


which have marked Italian affairs of
late are peculiarly notable because
of the strife and confusion which pre-
ceded them. The war left Italy econom-
ically exhausted and with nerves sorely
frayed Want of basic materials for man
ufacture forced numbers Of industrial plants
to suspend or curtail operations; multi
tudes were thrown out of employment;
taxes were high and the cost of living bur-
densome Such conditions, together with
the slackened morale which follows war,
were fertile for political and social unrest.
throughout the world a mood of revolt
against existent orders was strong, and in
Italy, especially pronounced. To what, then
may be ascribed the happy settling and
going forward?
Largely, it seems, to the liberal and
sagacious leadership of Giovanni Giol1ttl,
who, becoming premier last summer, gath
cred a ministry of widely representative
men and cast about to solve the nations
problems by utilizing it's progressive
thought. The vigor and breadth OF his
policy are the more striking IN that ne
returned to power from years of political
eclipse and at the age of seventy-e1ght
Stressful and sometimes bitter with par
tisan battles his former career had been
so that he might unconsciously have
brought a trace of old animosities into
the new regime According to the Tempo
of Rome however, che has no grudge
against anyone, no personal an1mus troubles
his calm, no personal pre1udlce plinos
him. on the contrary, he asks his former
adversaries to collaborate with him, he in
ytes youthful energy to unite with MS
seventy years wisdom, and he remains
the Youngest, the most alert Of all.
Here is craftsmanship from which all
countries and all administrations would do
we'll to learn To be at once idealistic and
nractical, tolerant and firm, loyal to friends
and convictions, yet capable of working
with others and of compromising on oetalls
to save larger measures from re1ectlon anu
failure, this is indeed rare and WONDER
fully useful blend. Too many leaders in
notifies, as in other affairs, become dead
eninglv conservative at the very age when
ripe experience should make them especially
valuable as opponents OF fresh IDEAS anu
guides to new undertakings. Experiments
which in Impractical hands and with hot
heads prove fruitless or dangerous can pc
carried safely forward and made to yleld
goodly harvests by seasoned and alert minds
like GioIittis. But how often DO we
see conservatism grown blind to the truth
that nothing can live which does not
change. and insensble to the keenest needs
and noblest inspirations of human society!
In business, minds Of that type are
called 'back numbers" but in politics they
are not infrequently lauded as 'safe and
sane" when as fact they are simply mar
row and dull There is no safety, no
sanity in looking exclusively and stubbornly
backward when perils and opportunities lie
thick about and throng ahead. IL IN Italy
the insistent forces of reform and recon
struction had been left to radical leader
ship or had been stupidity opposed on the
supposition that longings for justice and
right can be torn from a peoples heart,
things certainly would not be as orderly
and hopeful as they are in that kingdom
today, and probably they would be chaotic.
Bourbon and Bolshevist go together. Happy
the land that does not brook them; happy
the man who purges them from his spirit