Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-17
DICTATOR OF ITALY IS
INTERESTING CHARACTER
Mussolino. Head of Anli-Rcd
Revolution. Saves Sun
ny Country.
CONVERTED DURING rnn WAN
Changed From Internal ionnI MnrN-
Inn Socialist Into Fanatic Patriot.
Life Has been Nnrlcd bnr-WnS
SchooImnstcr at Tender Age.

Life Has been Nnrlcd Onr-WnS
>ch"oInnstcr ut Trndcr Age.
Mussoliua IS not vet 80. As a
boy he was passionate. quavrclsomc.
and dixie St. Francis. the most low
ablo or all ltaliauS) a lover ~ birds
and animals ana the open fields. He
wrote poetry In his teens. and at
20 he was village sChoolmastcr.
earning about 10 sh!liinrs week
Then cam, years of rebellion and
hatred His father had been i'm
prlsoned FOR his opinions. and Mus
sollno trampcd the country. some
times WORKING as a ianorcr. always In
revolt against social inequalities
Gradually he established himself as a
leader Of tho Italian Socialist party.
and when tho war began he was editor
@. tho Socialist paper AvInti.
Tho war made him change his
mind. Like Gustavc lIcrvc. in France.
he WAS converted from AN intcrna-
tional MARKHAM Socialist Into ianat-
cal patriot. lie seeded from tile So
cial!sts. founded a patriotic daily
the Pupolo d'ltal!a, volunteered ;"r
the front. was wounded and dis
charged from the army. went back
to Milan 10 write red blood articles
for his paper. which quickly gave II
an immense ClrCulaton-and 10
FOUND the Fascisti movement.
Politicians Hurt Italy.
Italy has suffered gr!cvously from
professional politicians. Hloli'h'
nc,hans tho ahlcs, az them. uas con-
rcrued I'm the Banca Romano scan
dal. and was expelled from Parl!a-
mont for receiving 10000 francs for
his attempt TO shield the guilty.
Political groups have intrigued
against groups. and parliamentary
roycrnmcnt has lost stability and
popular confidence.
The Fascist movement was born IN
tho dislIluslon that followed the war.
IL, became a national fore" when
tho extreme Italian Socialists en-
listed under tho banner Of Moscow.
seized factories, and tried to run them
undcr a syndicalist scheme. The
government could do nothing. hut
Nussoiino interviewed, and when the
communist experiment pctcrCd out In
p.tirul failure. Italy found that an
oruan!2ation had been created u
make any other such experiment I'm
possible.
war was declared by the Fascist
AGAINST tho Socialists All over ltal!
Socialist Mayors and town councils
have hocn attacked and Socialist
trade unions made pow orlcss. Their,
seems no sort OF doubt that Mus
solino has had an cvcr-incrcasinG
puhlic opinion behind him. -Four
hundred thousand young men are II
hts "Rlack shirt" army. Seven hun
drod thousand workmcn arc In his
p.ftriotic labor unions. Bourgeois
with d
nigh, against commun!s IN. and /, T.
probable that the rcasantry and ,h'
church are largely on his side. -
tho revolution against tho revoln
zion has been accomplished and tn
Socialist editor, with no admins
rrative experience. IS tho Prime Min
lister OF Italy and a practical dicta
tor.
Revolution B~nts evolution.
What will he do? Tho Italian IA
;riot has always dreamed OF tn
day when every Italian speaking
province shall be inside the l,aliai
kingdom. That was the dream o
Garibaldi. Of Mazziai, though Ia
wanted republic and not Il king
dom. and probably OF Cavour. Il tina
asiutc politician ever allowed him
srlt to dream. Therc.are still Italian
land is growing nervous. There art
SIM territories on the eastern shOr,
az the Adriauc for which Italy ha'
always ycarucd. and hothcads q
JugO- Slavia are ant!c ipatIns war
EUt Victor Emmanuel is stili a
Qu!r,nal, n silent King. whose cour
age has Just saved his country iron
civil war, and WHO stands, more thar
any other ono ni:ln c,ii stand, 20
Tho Italian unity mad. possible b
his rrandfa,her. the !rec-liv!ug mas
Ter ot Cavour.
Leuinc IN Russia has been compellc
20 modify his program, ANA 8, /
quite certain that Mus solino VIII h
compelled 20 modify his Il tickle
uat!ona! vanity 10 call tho Moditcr
.anean an italian lake Hut 1t (
nothing o. the kind. and never Ia
been. Il IS stimulating TO ten tn
modern italians int they are IN
heirs ~ Rome. but that Is only yer
partially true.
IN" world knows very l',re ahou
Mussol!no II IS easier TO make
revolution than 20 rule nation. an
Nussolino may fan as other rcvol,
ronists hav. failed Ru, he do,
stand for something. for nation.
sNlf-r"sp"ct. for uuty and hone
government, and for vigorous oppos
'!ou 70 social experiments that hRN
proved tragic failures