The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-05-21
EYE SPELL FORCEFUL
Mussolini's Gaze Sweeps Italy
By William Philip Simms
NEA Service Writer


Rome, May 21.-"Svengali" Mus
solini-the worlds strangest dicta-
tor-thc man who hypnotised a ma
ton as 'Svengali hypnotized Trlby:
Here is a closeup Of him as l got
it at his extraordinary office last
night at the new ministry Of foreign
affairs.
Picture first his anti-chamber -
the waiting-room to his office
Large and still rather bare--thc
building has been occupied as min
istry Of foreign affairs but a short
whilc-the middle of the room as
occupied by centcr-table upon
which stands a bronze statue OF d
Bayardesduc figure on horse. a
crusader without fear and without
rcproach."
Against ono wall stands plaster
reproduction of the Winged Vic
troy" which / was later to find must
be a favorite of Premier Mussolini's
More Pictures
About the walls number of pic
tures-cherubs and woodland scenes
mostly-but most conspicuous Of all
is one of Mussolini himself so large
that it covers half one wall--a heroic
picture in oils Of the premier as
leader of the Fascist soldiers the
famous "Black Shirts"-he wearing
the distinctive uniform himself and
in> the shadowy background, a col
umn of his men swinging past.
Nothing very impressive about all
this save one thing: Mussolini's hpy-
notice eyes staring down at you out
Of the picture.
A door opened and in it was an
| attache reckoning to me. 1~steppcd
forward and in another second found
myself in the worlds strangest
| office.
So large is Mussolini's office in
stantly felt myself dwarfed the mo-
ment I crossed the threshold. 1t is
like a grand ballroom, the ballroom
of a royal palace, with enormously
high ceilings and floor upon which
any number of couples might dance
| with case.
Has a Star
About the walls, tapestries most
| ly, but my impressions flooded IN
upon ME too swiftly to give them
more than glance. In the corner
| nearest me was an enormous globe
jet black, representing the heavens
and upon it, all over, large stars OF
gold. Among them somewhere was
Mussolini's star, in which he be-
lieves with all his heart and soul.
In the corner opposite me was
another huge globe, this one Of the
earth. And in the center of thl
room large, marble Winged vic
tory" Against! But these, like the
tapestries, got only a glance from
across the room from the door ha,
, entered, saw as at great distance
what appeared to me a very small
flat-top desk, or table, and moving
from behind it a very small man.
This was Mussolini.
Of course he is not small. Onl!
the enormous office made him seen
so. He grew larger as ] made m.
way across what seemed like acre
Of floor, and presently l found my
self nearing a man in riding clothe
black coat, drab riding breeches
riding boots, white standing cola
with the Gears" turned back, blaci
tie.
Again Those Eyes!
| mention these things in thi
order but l think the first thing
of I n h n
i Mussolini, was his cycs--largc, un
natural-looking black eyes, piercing
and, where not black, very white
Pictures l had seen had not don
those eyes justice. From unde
heavy brows they bored like GIN
lets. The mans square. jaw i'm
pressed; so did his high brow an
the unusual expression of self-con
fidcncc on his face. But his eye
almost instantly absorb his othe
features more: They become tn
center of even the huge room; tina
about which even the furniture
the room had been adjusted.
"Howdydo," he said in Englisl
taking a step forward and holdin
out his band.
Then he went back to his chair o
the other side of his desk and So
, down. Putting his elbows on til
table he leaned forward until III
, face rested between his two hand
fingers flat on his temples. II
closed his eyes long enough for or
. to count up to 20 and 1 had tn
strange feeling, in this huge roor