Evening star., 1925-01-02
VITAL THEMES
Why Mussolini Will Win.
BY Robert Underwood Johnson,
Ambassador to Italy, 182O-21.

With the press of Italy largely
against Mussolini 1t might be thought
rash as well as bold in him to an
| nounce at this time an appeal to the
people in March-the more so be-
| cause, his present favorable Cham
ber of Deputies was elected on his
artificial plan of arbitrarily giving
| two-thirds of the seats to the victor
| ious party, while he now proposes to
go back to the normal method of
election. The dangerous second
year" of a business enterprise has a
counterpart in politics in the reac-
tions that follow success. Mussolini
| stands between two fires-opposition
| from the ultra-violent, the sordid
and the unsatisfied in the ranks of the
| Fascist, and from those who sim
cerely believe that his methods are
subversive of representative govern
ment Against him are two former
premiers-Orlando, the able and pa
triotic Sicilian statesman, and Giolitti,
| the aged head of many cabinets,
shrewd and saturnine. Moreover, the
( Socialist and Communist parties and
dissatisfied and violent press are
| putting thorns in his path.
But all over the political world
there is a reaction against theory as
! contrasted with performance
This feeling has incontestable
force in Italy, as elsewhere, and just
now record of able administration
is Mussolinfs trump card. What
| ever errors he may have made, he
has kept strictly to the policy of
economic reform which is putting
Italy on her feet. In 1920, during my
offcial life in Rome, I publicly ven-
tured my judgment that Italy is one
! or the most conservative countries in
1 t1t
on the industry, the thrift. the in
! dividualism, the cheerful tempera-
| ment and the rapid increase Of her
! people, and their quick recovery Of
morale after the war.
/ The first of the silent to sing
| The hrst OF the somber to smile.
This joyous conservatism is the
background of MussQIinrs success in
! fiscal reforms. He has had a reason
| able people to work for, and, sure of
their approval. he has cut TO the
quick in his economics.
The prime object in political con-
| tests is to create a supreme issue Sc
| that the people will not listen to the
! issues raised by the opposition. The
| recent report of the Italian minister
! of finance, De Stefani, shows that
| Mussolini's steady course of business
| administration is having signal sue
!
| ployed-so few that a distinguishe ed
/ Italian recently told me that he was
| not wasting any regrets over our
! Immigration law, his countrymen all
being needed at home. The minister's
! budget actually shows a surplus, and
! promises a bigger one next year
| with reduction in taxation upon
! food and other prime necessities, and
a further improvement of public
!
! dents of Italy show that this policy
| and that Of maintaining public order
have won the approval of the average
| citizen, and that. in general, in spite
| of Fascist disloyalties, this sentiment
may be relied upon to support Mus
sollni in the coming ELECTORAL con-
| hict, which he has astonished his
| opponents by precipitating More
| over, there is no equally commanding
| figure TO oppose him and his great
lieutenant, Prosperity.
Copyright, 1924