Evening star., 1925-10-18
WAR UPON MASONS
WEAKENS FASC|SM
MussoIini Power Believed
Shaken by Violence Against
the Order in Italy.
BY WILLIAM BIRD.

BY Radio TO The Star.
PARIS, October 1T.-Violent meas
tlres taken by the Fascist against the
Free Masons in Florence and else.
where have undoubtedly exceeded
NIussolini's personal intentions and
may seriously injure the government 8
prestige.
Information received here in Paris
from widely different sources indicates
that the anti-Masonic campaign should
be regarded as a sign of weakness on
the part of the Fascists.
Italian Free Masonry is quite differ
ent from the American. In Italy, as
in France. il Is an almost purely po-
lltical organization among anti-cler-
icals and is preponderantly Semitic.
The principal Jewish bankers are
prominent Masons and the society is
known to dispose of considerable funds
for political propaganda.
But there is no evidence that Ma
sonic influence has ever been brought
against Mussolini. In fact. the writer
has received assurance from we'll in
formed persons here that until two
wears ago Mussolni himself was
financed largely by Masonic funds and
certainly by prominent individual
MaSons.
Quarrel Not New.
The quarrel with the Masons dates
back two wears and had its primary
origin in the fact that many of Musso-
linis chief lieutenants were Masons.
Former Gen. Balbo. who organized the
march on Rome. and Signor Grandi
undersecretary of foreign affairs and
probable successor to Mussolini, were
Masons. Furthermore. Cesare Rossi,
who plotted the Matteotti assassina
ton, and Philipelli, who participated,
were Masons.
Nfussolini is declared to have
formed the opinion that Rossl
blamed the Matteotti murder al the
instigation of the NasonS for the
purpose of arousing public indigna-
ton against the Fascist regime. Any
how. he has particular fury against
the order. and Masons desiring to hold
office or even membership in the
Fascist party, must foreswear all al
legiance to the Masonic order.
But the oath Of the Italian Masons,
81 is understood. permits them thus to
repudiate the order without definitely
losing membership. They are strick-
en- from the Masonic rolls. but they
become dormant Masons until such
time as they desire to return openly
to the lodge
Still Mussolini's anti Masonic pas
sion Is nothing new. Even before
the war. when he was Socialist lead
err. he forced thr&Igh the Socialist
congress a resolut<1l excluding from
the party all Masons who refused to
renounce the order.
The assumption in some quarters
that the latest outbursts were desig-
mated to curry favor with the Vatican
is exploded by information from the
highest Catholic quarters here. a
clergyman who is regarded in Paris
as chief of the Vatican secret service
declares privately that the Vatican
thinks Mussolini has gone entirely
too far and may help the Masonic
cause more than he injuries 1t.
"Afraid Of the Dark"
The true explanation, according to
individuals who know Mussolini in
timately, Is that he has given one
more evidence that he is afraid of
the dark He simply does not un-
derstand Masonry, it is said, and al
ways fears what he does not under
stand 1t is also suggested that in
former days he once attempted to
Join the lodge himself, but was re
Jected, which might explain his
grudge against the order.
Mussolini's proposed law, which
would exclude Masons forever from
all public services. including army
and navy commissions, is believed to
have little chance Of passage. 1t can
readily pass the House of Deputies,
where Mussolini is virtually dictator,
but the Italian Senate is more than
half Masonic and will certainly re-
Ject 1t, II is said