Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-04-28
PARISH
PRIEST THREATENS
ITALIAN CABINET
Don Sturzo, Cleric-Politician,
Perils Reign of Mussolini
In Italy.
HE MAY BE NEXT PREMIER
Ascet;c Sicilian Churchman'S
Power Already Has Doomed
Two Ministries

paper readers a few DAVIS a@ =,
glanced casually at and dismissed q
brief dispatch from Rome announc
ing -hat the Populist party had with
drawn its support from Premier
Benito Mussolini and that the mini
sry seemed shaky.
But behind that dispatch lies the
most gripping romance politics any,
where can yield-the story of a
humble parish priest who rose to
the political dictatorship of italy. a
man born Of artistocrats who devot-
ed his life to fighting them. the
destroyer of two cabinets who NAV
yet add Mussolinis scalp to his col
lection.
The Populist party, controlling
more than 100 deputies, balance of
power in the Italian parliament
quit Mussoilini because it was d.
rected to do so by its leader, Don
Luigi Sturzo, priest and political
leader who caused the downfall of
Premiers Giolitti and Facta.
His Strange Career.
Don Luigi Sturzo d'Altobrando-
that's his full name-was born of
aristocratic parents in Sicily SO years
ago One of his ancestors is said to
have aided Columbus in pleading for
funds at the court Of Spain.
The young nobleman elected to
enter the clergy and to this end was
educated in the seminary of Calta-
grone, his birthplace, and soon was
assigned to the local parish.
But young Sturzo soon turned his
attention from theology and began
to look into social problems. He
saw the peasants Of Sicily toiling for
the benefit of wealthy landowners
who basked in the social sun Of
Rome.
It's wrong" said Sturzo. And he
set about effecting reforms, to the
disguest Of his artistocratic relatives.
The young priest organized parish
clubs throughout Sicily, urged the
people to attend schools or to edu-
cate themselves, formed cooperative
peasants unions and formed rural
saving banks,
Elected Mayor.
Soon he was elected mayor of Cal
tagirone, a city of 4o,OOO-and prov
ed such a good mayor that his consti-
t3hkts kept on re-electing him for
lars.
He developed a municipal light
and power plant, built community
houses for laborers, founded technl-
cal and geological institutes and
brought to Caltagirone prosperity
the sleepy Sicilian town never had
dreamed of.
In 1919, Sturzo retired from the
mayorality to give his attention to
war-torn and communist-threatened
Italy.
He organized the Populist parts
with very liberal-even little So
cialistic-tenets. DESPITE the opposl-
ton of the aristocracy, the party
gained steadily in strength all over
Italy.
Sturzo found Premier Giolitti un,
suitable. So, backed by the power OF
his party. he removed him and placed
Tacta at the head of the govern
ment Facta failed to suit and was
politically beheaded,
Mussolini next.
Mussolini would probably find ms
place untenable in the fave Of Vig-
orous opposition by Sturz0 and MS
followers.
Statesmen dine too much, wine
too much, meet too much, speak too
much" sturzo says. And he tries
to avoid all these evils.
lie lives largely in seclusion nh, in
Caltagirone visiting the large CUES
of Italy rarely and Rome Amos.
never. when he goes abroad, he IS
attired simply in cassOck and san
dals, 44onds
to his parish duties. Then ne uo'9
his political work through pss" oots
sturzo is a vegetarian he ea.s
as i little as possible and eats it quick,
ly so as not to lose time ne IN mas o, w
socretary-he hammers out ., his o""
corrosnondence on tvoewflter f.,
When he needs relaxation. nv ~ and