Evening star., 1926-06-05
MUSSOLINI SEEN AS ARBITER
OF PEACE OR WAR In EUROPE
Italian Dictator, With Touch of Fever Might Light
a Fire Which Only Rivers of Blood Could Quench
Is Fear Expressed by Sir Philip Gibbs.

What do all those dark sayings
mean? Is 1t merely Italian rhetoric
| to stir the blood of the youthful mobs
| or is it just flamboyant stuff to make
good reading in Fascist newspapers?
| This, anyhow, is certain. The Italian
army and navy is being strengthened
and equipped. There is not only no
talk of disarmament but scornful ridi-
cule of all such ideas Italy is buy
ing arms and ammunition. NIussolini
does not hide his contempt for. the
League of Nations, which gave Italy
a slap in the face, deliberately and
brutally, when Italian warships
bombarded Corfu. The league is en-
deavoring to strengthen existing set
Elements following the peace treaties.
after the great war by all manner of
compacts and agreements.
Mussolini and the Italian people
have no use for those existing settle
ments. They believe that those peace
treaties ignored their claims. repudi-
ated their share in the war, broke
many promises made to them as the
price of their alliance. They believe
England and France betrayed and
robbed them. They are convinced the
league Is dominated by powers hos
tile 10 Italy's expansion and policy.
Mussolini smiles with cynicism when
any one talks TO him about the league
or world peace. He is a disciple
of Macchiavelli in Italian subtlety
Of mind and of Napoleon, an Ital.
ian like himself. in contempt of talk
ers and theorists. He believes in
force. action, energy and driving pur-
pose rather than : argument, per
suaSion and idealism.
All the European statesmen are
asking themselves what is the real
meaning of this astonishing person
ality who achieved something almost
miraculous in Italy by substituting
efficiency for disorder. industry for
laZiness, national enthusiasm for pes
simism and eisillusion, which
sWamped its spirit after the war. ]
have seen every stage in that prog.
reSs, year by year since the time
that Italy was rotten with Commun.
ism, when ceaseless strikes paralyzed
its industrial life and riots broke in
every city. | have a profound admira-
ton for MuSSolini's prodigiouS courage
and his genius which enabled him to
acquire leadership over all those bod
les of young manhood which rallied
against anarchy and scotched it.
His dictatorship now is undoubtedly
supported by the majority of his peo-
pie. although his ruthless suppres-
the press and parliamentary liberty
is proof enough that there is a mi
nority still strong enough to be dan
gerous. But in spite of this admi-
ration for his many qualities, in my
Judgment. Mussolini is the most da n
gerous man in Europe. His success
is making dictatorship the tempta-
ton of so many wouldbe imitators.
His philosophy, based on force. has
checked the spirit of progress to-
ward any new international democ-
racy working on lines of idealism and
justice.
Must Lead TO War
In its logical results it is bound to
lead to war. Mussolini has declared
that this year is to be Jtalys year of
destiny. Personally | think that des-
tiny is not ripe for fulfillmen in trag-
edy or triumph as soon as that. He is
in too much of a hurry, and is being
threatened with an internal disease,
as well as by the constant danger Of
assassination. But he has behind him
an ardent people, inflamed with ma
tional pride and ecstasy and asking
for trouble lin the way of adventure.
His leadership is unchallenged and
mesmeric. 1t depends on his uncanny
sense of reality and his real gifts of
craftsmanship whether he VIII lead
the way to rash adventure or check
these passionate desires which he
stirred by his own dramatic gifts.
| think he will hold his legions in
hand for some time yet. but it is not
good for Europe that its peace should
be dependent on one mans mood or
good health or impatient ambition.
Mussolni with a touch of fever might
light fire which only rivers of blood
could quench.
Copyright 1926D