Evening star., 1925-08-12
a News Writer
Weakens Italy's
Banishing

Severe criticism of Mussolini and
his Fascist has been the chief result
of the Italian dictator's order expell-
ing from Italy George Seldes, Rome
correspondent of the Chicago Tribune.
The action of the Italian leader is
interpreted as evidence of the weak
ness of his regime. Seldes was
charged with misrepresentation in
connection with political assassina.
ton.
with the exception of England and
possibly of the Scandinavian coun-
tries" declares the Omaha World
Herald, the curse of censorship is
over all Europe So long as Italy and
Russia and other countries persist in
the effort to conceal and suppress, so
long will the correspondents believe
there is something which ought to be
known and bend their energies to-
ward trying to discover it. A gov
ernment which seeks to present its
case to the people of the world
through suppression or distortion puts
itself in the light of having a poor
case to present" Serious injury is
seen also by the New Yory Herald
Tribune "if the outside world be-
comes convinced that the Fascist are
fearful of fair comment and criticism
and employ drastic means OF prevent
ing IT."
x X X X
Mussolini's' action was taken be-
cause 1.-The American correspondents
were telling the unpleasant truth con-
cerning his dictatorship" according
to the Akron Beacon-J ournal, which
remarks that "dictators do not like
such truth" The Akron paper con-
tinues: Censorship has not been able
30 l{toIr he 70 he
ing for rule by their men on horse
back is waning in Europe. In spite
of war and calamity, no people can
be forever submerged or deprived OF
their right to voice in their own gov
ernment" The stupidity of a policy
which gives rise to all manner of
suspicious" is seen by the Buffalo
News. which believes that people
abroad may regard the policy as in
dicating that the Italian government
does not feel secure" and that this
NAV prove very embarrassing when
Italy comes seeking loans"
This one action punctures the
whole bubble of Mussolini's preten-
sions as the popular leader of a, popu-
lar regime" the Baltimore Sun as
serts. quite obviously the Fascist
leaders are at least as eager to keep
the truth about their government sup
pressed as are the Communist dicta-
tors of Russia" Nothing that Seldes
has written, however, the Louisville
Post states, could paint the italian
government in worse light than it
paints itself by barring him." The
expulsion "smacks of the old days in
Russia" the Watertown Times holds,
with the added comment that Mus
solini's cause must be weak, indeed,
to attempt to silence a foreign press
which might criticize him.
\ X x
What is probable is that Musso-
lini has created a machine he can nc
longer control" is the explanation OF
the Uniontown Herald, which says
''he must know that riot and murder
are weapons no government can use
and live; the attack on Signor Or
lando at Palermo can only be re-
garded as the beginning of a reign
of terror in which no man may speak
his mind without danger to his per-
SON." Considering Mussolinis re-
cent tyrannical acts" the Philadel-
phia Inquirer is of the opinion that
they suggest he is no longer sure OF
himself; the rigid censorship of the
press is a confession that he Is be-
ginning to fear public opinion"
The people of this country will not
disapprove," in the judgment OF the
Kansas City Journal, 'ff Mussolini
who has shown conspicuous dis