The Washington times., 1922-12-24
CALLERS WAIT
PE1ULANT NOD
! Of MUss0L|N|
~Man Of People" Exhibits a
Tolerant Contempt for An
Glasses Of His Callers
STATESMEN WAIT ON HIM
Lincoln Steffens Draws Pen
Picture Of Interview with
Gathering Of Correspondents
By LINCOLN STEPHENS.

BY LINCOLN STEFFENS.
LAUSANNE. Dec. 16y-Benite
4ussoliul walled out Of his room
into the corridor Of his hotel st
Lausanne and, at sight Of the wait
ing crowd, halted, frowned, smiled.
His SECRETARY pointed down the hall
% some italian peasant women
holding flowers for him.
~MAN or THE PEOPLES"
He shook his shoulders petulantiy.
shot his sharp eyes slowly around
The circle Of msn: Reporter. pho.
yographsrs. detectives. guards and
diplomatic messengers, and then
again ct the women with the flowers.
He didn't want to see them, but
several aides urged him. whispering
and he threw up his hands. marched
swiftly down to the women and
stood there before them. feet apart,
etlent.
The women started. II was ''he." |"
They did not know what 10 say, and
he did not help them: not word.
He just stood there ana stared at
them with his keen. black and white
/. eyes. till one Of the girls offered
him her flowers. Then he turned,
waved his hand to them to follow
and walked fast back into his room.
And the crowd waited.
But the peasant committee came
cut at Last. and after them 'ths MAJ
Of the people"
SMILES CONTEMPT.
Mussolini held little book In his
hands, q tiny book dc luxe. the sire
Of . prayer book. He stood there,
and lifting the book to the level Of
his eyes. he read 1t, or pretended to.
He glanced over the book at the
waiting crowd and smiled his con-
tempt.
He says he 10 the son OF q village
Blacksmith. that he has been de-
spised but he played a game and
won. He won, easily. Oh, 1t was
20 easy to do. And having won. he
- now respected. So he enjoys his
triumph. He says 20. he lets you
zee 1t 10 90, and so-it 10 his turn to
despise and insult. And men take II.
See? See how they wait respectful,
.awostruck at his power and his
audAcity, while he pretends to read
book at leisure; taking his time.
torturins their impatience.
6TATESMEN WAIT.
And there were statesmen in that
crowd now. and correspondents Of
great newspapers. as he knows well.
He has seen their cards. And yet,
men ask whether q dictatorship Ia
poqsible in this day and age! Pos
ABLE? 1t IL easy, 1t Is easier than
any other way to take and use
power; It is safe and people like It.
Let George do It,"
What we need ID q dictator"
But the secretaries were whisper.
lmg, 90 Mussolini slowly closes his
book, once more reviews with his
stilieto eyes his respectful enemies,
and quickly starts off for the ele-
vator. Decision. The bunk over.
he goes swiftly to the deed. But the
elevator has no respect for dictA-
tors, 1t was not there.
The servants rang, anxiously,
norvously. The elevator lifted up,
but slowly. So Mussolini lifted his
book and read. He read till the lift
came up. stopped, and then, still
reading, he walked out on the floor
below and around to where the pho.
toKraphers stood ringed and ready.
He dropped his book to look ct them.
then resumed his reading, holding
the book in both hands on level
with his eyes.
I had wanted q lone interview to
see II I couldn't find out what his
plans are, what remains of his
former radicalism, what he intends
to do with the power he has sei1sd
Il, bolshevik fashion. / gave that
up now and warned the other cor
respondents that we were to be r..
Viewed. would merely watch the
man and see what could be seen
from the outside. saw some things.
6TARES AT GROUP.
Beckoned to by the secretary, we
trailed In and the dictator stood in
his beflowered room, his feet apart,
like Napoleon, his sharp eyes picking
us up one by one. He stares and he
stares. He stood till we all were in
and for q long embarrassing moment
more, then he started forward to the
first man in line. Colonel Rollin. the
correspondent of the French govern
mont organ, Le Temps, q man Just
back from Russia, whence he wrote
3 series Of very favorable articles.
Mussolini took Colonel Rollins hand
and asked him who he was, and