Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-01
NAT|ONAL|SM THE
new ASPECT OF
WORLD SENTIMENT

The regular meeting and supper of
All Souls Chapter of the Laymen's
League, Friday evening, was well at
tended. Those present found the &C.
casion one of unusual interest and
profit because of the illuminating ad-
dress of Prof. Thomas 3. Van Cleve
of Bowdoin college. who spoke from
study and observation Of present con-
ditions in Europe, more especially of
the accentuated nationalism which he
found to be developing there.
Where, at the close Of the war,
most Of us expected that out of the
horrible experiences would come a
willingness to go a long way in an
effort to develop q spirit of commun-
ity interest in national relations, the
actual outcome is the development Of
an accentuated nationalism, directly
the opposite to that which so many
had hoped and expected.
This has come about following the
failure of the League of Nations to
accomplish what had been hoped. In
the newly formed countries, like those
of the Little Entente. there was the
natural pride Of birth, the giving of
expression to a long entertained but
repressed desire for nationalism. In
certain of the other countries the bit
terness of the war inspires the ma
tionalistic spirit. In each country
there are conditions peculiar to that
country which have caused the
growth of this spirit and the rever-
sion ito balance of power diplomacy.
In Hungary the school children on oc-
casions drape the map of the old
Hungary in black and sing the old
NJ nnn rnn't avoid the
feeling that this spirit of resentment
encouraged as it is will lead to trou-
BILE, to the miliaristic spirit and ulti-
mately to war.
The intense nationalism noticed in
Italy, the prevailing spirit of unity. in
all parts of that country. even the
most remote, he attributed largely to
the efforts of one wonderful man,
Mussolini. His portrayal of what
Mussolini has accomplished in Italy
was very graphic, especially his de-
sCriptions of scenes he witnessed and
the attitude Of the people. Probably
no movement in the world today pro-
misses to be more fruitful than the ac-
tivities of Mussolini. In the personal
sense he is the most dominant figure
in all Europe, held in absolute rever-
ence by the people. even by those
in the heart of the Siclian mountains.
To these people Mussolini is the
embodiment of all the past italian
greatness. With the most extraordl-
nary genius he has appealed to these
people, has led their minds back along
the history of their race and inspir-
ed them. Once a socialist II not
communist and as such not closely
affiliated with the church he had
49,, -
realizing the need of organization OF
the nationalistic sentiment, OF the CO.
operation Of the church,
In the popular mind the old parties
were discredited; labor organizations
were communistic. All this he chang
ed. Labor was taught that the old
idea Of liberty. equality and fraternity
belonged In the nineteenth century
and Is no longer useful in government
which must circumscribe liberty;
that the notion of equality is not sup
ported by reason or fact, but frater-
nifty he would keep.
AS a consequence Of this, syndical-
ism is taking the place of commun-
ism. Syndicates in which the policy
of the survival of the fittest prevails,
merit. skill and experiences being rec
oCnized. They would he controlled by
the government but parliament would
be largely made up Of representative
of the syndicates. Everything possible
is to be done for labor: there is pro-
vision for educating it. but labor is
to serve the Italian people under gov
eminent leadership. Mussolini has
personally visited every part of the
country and has deeply impressed his
personality on the minds of the pub
lie
The speaker lightly touched on the
foreign policy. Briefly IL is place in
the sun. control Of the Adriatic and
the Mediterranean He thought Mus
solinfs ambition led him to far in the
Corfu affair but he was shrewd !
enough to curb his demands ultimate
ly. In this he believed the League of
Nations had contributed. officers are i
as noticeable in the life Of italy today |
as they were in Germany before the
war. 4
Turning to France he described the |
growth of nationalism there. repre-
scented now by Poincare. He made /
plain the fear that lies In the heart |
OF every Frenchman that the Ger |
mans with their larger population |
will eventually seek revenge and that |
France will be left alone. He describ- |
ed how every proposal made in regard |
to the reparations really left a great
er per capita burden on France than
on Germany. He told why he thought
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