Evening star., 1926-11-21

- FEEL God deeply. beneve
I'm God. l am fully convinced
that those who attempt my
life cannot harm me. There
have been attacks against me
and they will probably repeat tnem-
selves Ii was Mussolini talking 10
-. In the Palazzo Chigi shortly before
tl,e ,.ecen.-and sixth-attempt on his
life at Bologna.
..Ru, 7 shall come through un-
harmed, his vibrant voice went on.
while God protects me, no human
force can stop me,
His faith in God is real; no one who
heard him utter those words could
Ao,,ht II. It is this faith that results
in n Duce's sublime fearlessness.
fearlessness regarding his life that Is.
indeed. unique IN Italy. You cannot
conceive the tenseneSs that accom-
NAMES Mussolini's every appearance
In Italy these days.
For Italians. whenever he appears
IN public. are in a state of continually
mounting nervousness and excftement.
1t is partly their wildly Latin adora-
ton for II Duce and partly the sup
pressed undercurrent of their almost
frantic fear. The atmosphere has all
the suppressed hysteria of a great re-
liyious revival. Who knows from
what part of those shouting masses
or at what instant may come the crack
of a bullet or the dull roar of a bomb.
with results that none of them dare
even think of?
Imagine the tension when that pub |
lie happened to be the thousands OF
Black Shirts crushing into the Piazza
at ardently Fascist Bologna. No order
of II Duce could come quickly enough |
L. I'm II
that still smoking revolver. AS usual, |
Mussolini was the only one who could |
remain calm.
II am calm In the face Of any cir
cunstance." he had said to me few |
days before II am Indifferent to |
danger. l live perilously and God
protects me. IL God should ever
cease to protect me, slight episode |
would suffice to change the course OF
events
Does Mussolini wear a steel or |
leather breastplate? l didn't ask him,
but some one else did some time be- |
fore. For answer he ripped open
the stiff shirt he had on to display his
bare chest beneath. And that too, is
just like him.
Go much for the question OF the
premier's personal danger. had
interrupted his enthusiastic discussion
: OF America so you are returning
to the United States after year in /
New Italy?" he asked What a great
country your America isl The two
things in this world that appeal to /
him most vitally are modern Italy and |
modern America.
American energy, enterprise and
perspicacity. how admirable they are!
In this twentieth century the Ameri-
can idea is going to dominate the |
world am convinced of it. There
was sincere appreciation In his earnest
voice and burning eyes. Whoever
heard him would have been just as
convinced as was, particularly when
you remember that one Of the most
uncanny gifts Of this creator OF new
Italy, demonstrated throughout his
career, is his clairvoyance into the
future. Giant in affairs that he Is,
Mussolini continually peers over
Times advancing shoulder, and not
only peers, but sees true.
II shall give you message to
take with you TO the American peo-
pIe.' Italy's prime minister drew be-
fore him on his great desk pad OF
his particular note paper: In the upper
left corner of each sheet Is printed
III Capo del Goyerno'' l.Head OF the
government''l and slanting in the
upper right corner. "Minuta" Run
ming vertically In the left margin Ii
Q Characteristic statement: Italian |
paper OF paste and cellulose OF straw, (.
produced exclusively with national /
raw materials" This Is significant Of
the intense campaign for the use,
whenever possible. of national prod |
ucts only. In order to revaluate the /
lira and establish Italy economically.
II is significant also that in the case
of this order. as in the case of