Evening star., 1926-08-22
YOUTHFUL NEW ITALY'S
ENERGY REMAKES NATION
''Force'' of Mussolini Inspires Men and
Women to Hard Work for Future
Greatness.
BY MABEL KOHLSAAT.

| BH MABEL kOHLSAAT.
A FTER Mussolini what? That
" is a question often asked IN
| II America by people whose
4 4 democratic principles his gov
ernment offends, whose ideas
of liberty, as they see it. he shocks.
MuSsolini says. DO not let any one
in Italy or outside of Italy think that
if they kill me they will kill my gov
ernment. 1t is founded in the hearts
of the youth of Italy and will en-
dure." This was in a speech he made
to the Senate in response to the ova-
ton they offered him at the first
meeting of that body after the second
| attempt on Mussolnis life In Rome
last April. The new Italy. founded
in the hearts of her youth meets
! YOU as you cross the border from
| France.
| Entering Italy is like entering q
| factory where every energy is strain
that must he delivered that night.
where every persons pride is engaged
in the filling of that order
Travellers Are Scrutinized.
AS YOU approach Genoa young Fas-
cists come from building at the side
/! of the road, salute you, open your
car door look. not at your baggage,
| but at you; close the door. touch their
| caps and return to their office. Near
ing the city the number of them in
creases to or 10 at a time. for
| Genoa is the great open door between
, France and Italy; from Paris. where
today the Italian leaders of the OppO-
sition to Mussolini and his govern
| ment live and direct their campaign
| against Fascism. Naturally it is well
guarded; Signor Nitti's friends would
have poor time at that gate Every
| Fascist feels that it is his gateway he
is guarding; his government, his Duce.
he is defending; his enemy he is out
whiting. watching. For he and his
are involved in this effort of Musso-
ini's to unite, defend and save Italy.
| This Is a part of the spirit of Fascism.
his Force"
You thread your way along the
crowded road, where building is going
on everywhere. and arrive at the cen
ter of Genoa, where you meet the new
Italy.
The port of Genoa is doubled in ca
pacity, the docks are occupied by
Italian ships. The dry docks are build
ing great ocean liners for the pas
senger trade that once belonged to
|
hands of Italian companies, control
ling the routes from Italy to North
and South America. The Roma, that
| will be launched in October. for New
| York, is of 80 900 tons capa city, built
| in Genoa. All trades are responding
to the impulse of the larger port ia
cilities and the increased business re-
sulting from it.
Ordered Austere Welcome.
In April Mussolini went to Genoa
for his first visit after he took over
the government and they prepared to
give him great welcome. He sent
| at once a message enjoinng "sever-
ity, auSterity. economy. no decora-
tlons but flags and banners 1t was
roval welcome he received. never
theless. from all Liguria.
AS one proceeds via Milan. Como
| Brescia. Modena, Mantua and Palma
to Bologna one sees and feels the
suppressed excitement. the same
tense life. new spirit" in all north
ern Italy. where spirit never lacked.
but where now it is different, more
universal and more personal. At
! Bologna you are in one of the great
centers of Fascism and you realize it.
The Fascist are on guard. They are
| i'm the midst of their revolution and
they know it and their enemy is
crafty.
At Florence. where they have al
ways been more intense in every
movement, they have their demon
strations for and against Fascism.
but the Fascists are IN evidence,
watchful and alert.
Perugia Is Transformed.
! You proceed to. Perugia by Way of
| Sienna, which l passed at nOOntime.
All conversation in the piazza was ex-
cited and eager. They had some
thing to talk about At Perugia. If
you know your Perugia, you find a
city transformed. returned to life, the
swept and garnished center of Fascist
! Umbria. A new university for
Strangers was opened this month
with 500 students. At Assist is Cee-
| brated the anniversary of the birth
of st. Francis. made a national cele-
bratiOn by the proclamation of Mus
solini. putting things in motion in
, Umbria. Assist Is no longer simply
! the shrine of a great saint, but the
| object also of the attention of Musso-
lini, therefore a center of interest to
all Fascism. To the poverty. chas-
tity and obedience" of the Saint of
Assist is added the discipline, sacri-
|
| At Rome you are in the center of
the government. Here is the seat of
| the government and of "the party"
Mussolini is the head Of both. In one
part of the great Chigi Palace, at the
corner of the Piazza Colonna and the
COrSo, are his offices as prime min
lister; in another his offices as Duce
| of Fascismo. For the meetings of
the general grand council they come
together.
1t is the center of Rome. Here
! MussOlini receives the distinguished
visitQ. the man Italy delights to
honor. From the little iron balcony
of the second story. at the corner
of the building, he makes his famous
speeches to the Fascist. Down the
CorsO from the Piazza del Popolo to
the grave of the Unknown Soldier
march the long professions today to
lay their offering there. or to be
reviewed by the King or by the Duce
from his balcony. Here they sing
"Giovanezza" enthusiastically as they
pass
Aids Religious Effort.
Here they came to demand the
sight Of him after the attempt on
his life in April, shouting "Duce.
Duce" until he came from his apart
ment to the palace and addressed
them from his balcony. when they
could not let him speak for their
emotion at finding that he was safe
apd able to speak to them there.
His Force"
Here also is the Church of Rome
Mussolini says that no government
can endure that does not recognize
God, the family and property. That