The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-03
Mussolini And Fascisti| Are Outbursts Of Youth
Triumph Of New Life Over Decay Says Intimate
 Friend Of Premier
By ALICE ROHE

I misfortunes to the lack of strong man --un uomo forte. Today she has him and the question is what will she do with him?
 Benito Mussolini, founder of fascism, is the political phenomenon of modern Europe risen flame-like from the ashes of Italy's ornate and futile bureaucracy.
 Mussolini, is not only the creator of faeismo. he is also the creator of a new Italy.
 His rise to the premiership was sem satlonal. but it is no more sensational than the existence of the man himself. | He is unique. among Italian diplo- mats and statesmen and in his uncom- promising divergence from established types may lie, to a considerable extent, the underlying causes of opposition.
 Has Not SwerVed One IOta l l first met Mussolini previous to tthe fiasco of the general strike, during it's defeat at the hands of the. present pre- mier, and again during the hour of his risen star. The impression gained aft CT the first two minutes co6versatio has never changed Nor SO far as that is concerned has Mussolini's/ program of rehabiiitating Italy swerved one iota l from his original plans.
 Mussolini is the first and only Italian statesman I, at least. have ever met who answers a question with a concise, direct reply That is the keynote of his character-a man who counts his words, but whose words count.
 Few men in history have known the value of the single word, and at this single word the youth of Italy has risen. Man Of Ind0mnitable Will
 A man of indomnitable will, of un- swerving purpose when a worthy inter- est is at stake. A man of coldest in- difference toward the cluttering, incon- sequential obscurism which defeated many of his predecessors.
 All the, world today recognizes the wild, staring. fiercely protruding eyes. which glare from photographic repro ductions. But photographs do not catch everything that the eyes of MussOlini indicate. You sense at once that here is q man of aggressive courage to whom personal fear is an unknown quantity. The powerfully shaped head, the large purposeful nose, the strong but sensu- ous mouth, the brilliant white teeth,i the well knit medium-tall figure are all suggestive of those time-hOnored concepts of ancient Roman leaders. AAd Mussolini is of Romagna which claims the noblest Romans of them all.
 Conceals His Sensitiveness
 It is a strangly fleeting quality which comes unexpectedly before the piercing, dominating fire of his penetrating eyes that reveals another side to Mussolini, a side which is little accentuated by cor i respondents. It is like spirit of brood ing melancholy rising from the depths of an unwavering soul whose vision sees a far-off. Many who see only the :. fiery commanding ego-centric light in Mussolini's eyes call him an exalte. l sense no such quality. To me this seeming inconsistency is only the sub ftle shadow of sadness which befalls all whose clear vision permits a compre- I.hending panorama of life's struggles FStrange 4as it may seem, Mussolini re- fleets a marked sensitiveness which he has successfully concealed.
 The life story of the man who is now at the head of the Italian government and also at the head of the political news of the day explains those subtle changes in the expression of the I'll Duce."
 Proud Of Blacksmith Paternity
 Benito Mussolini was born near FOrli in the very nest of 'Red" political doc trines of which his father was an ar- dent advocate This father was black smith and it is a fact MussOlini never lets you forget. He reminded me of this parental trade with a pride have never been able to forget when reading de- preciating explanations of fascime and its leader, based largely, it would seem, upon the blacksmith paternity and sudden addiction to frock coats and white spats!
 | America at least appreciates the, greatness of a self-made man who has turned a master hand to the job.
 For Mussolini is an intellectual-he is part of that intellectual renaissance which today is terminating Italy. And his knowledge and culture has been Igleamed from original sources-nOt from dried academic fonts.
 MussOIini's Early Life
 l This love of erudition, feeling for l poetry, a passion for music, an appre- citation of art are phases of MussOlinfs character which I believe have given him his genius for leadership of the Italian people. Indeed he confided to me that had life not shaped his des- tiny into the path that led him to the premiership he might have, been sec ond-rate violinist! And those early years of intellectual vagabondage were punctuated with retirement to his Ro- magnan home where he shut himself in with music, played and studied the violin-French lessons his only contact with the outside world-and wrote those articles and short stories which were the first passes to his Journalistic ca reer.
 History offers no prototype for Ben ito Mussolini. And few intellectuallsts have achieved the heights of learning over such strange byways. Hardships and sufferings, they tell us, are invalu- able teachers. Perhaps that Is why Mussolini's knowledge is just bit more human than that of the professionally erudite. The man who can turn from a discussion of question of political economy and talk with understanding of period of Etruscan frescOing, who can submerge himself in an enjoyment of controversy over relative merits of an cient and modern drama, who can thrill at the sound of Greig fantasy Is surely more than a fire-eating tyrant.
 First Job School Teaching
 Mussolini's first "job' was that of a school teacher. It is interesting to note that the man who became the greatest disciplinarian of modern times could not tolerate this profession because of what he called it's blind obedience. He has travelled all over the world work ing sometimes as a day labOrer in order that at night he might read in the libraries of the various capitOls. His one purpose seems to be to get knowl- edge at first-hand and in its native heath and language The science of