Evening star., 1926-10-31

~ ERHAPS no country in the world has
- passed through the fire quite has
sunny Italy, the land Of beauty, Of an
cient monuments and new aspirations.
of strife and loyalty, of love for art and strug-
gle for bread
Italy today stands at the crossroads Of Eu-
rope. In peace time the airpanes OF every
European country will run through some part
of Italy. In time of war, without an adequate
air force, Rome could be destroyed in a few
hours
But Italy is astir. The problems they have
faced in the last four years would have daunted
people less fired by centuries Of patriotism.
For months Italy was the edge of the crater
OF red chaos, and it so happened that the day
1 arrived in Rome the Fascist, which, it is
very frankly admitted have saved Italy,
marching in review down the streets of the an
cient city. I stood on the steps of the memorial
to King Emmanuel, watching the splendid
youths march by in imposing military forma-
ton, but unarmed save by the fire Of loyalty
in their quickened steps, took off my hat to
Mussoini, that brilliant editor who left the desk
OF his daily newspaper, Popolo dItalia, to save
his country.
The Fascist, under Mussolinis leadership,
unquestionably wrested Italy from the hairy
grasp of the bOlsheviki, and Mussolini now is
not only premier Of Italy, but one Of the out
standing political figures Of Europe He not
only knows what he wants and why but has
II.
was the first European premier to grasp the
significance of air power. During the war
he was a sergeant Of the Bersaglieri. He
is also an aviator, and enthusiastic over
aviation that he says, II want to make all
Italians fly" With that great vision which first
saved Italy from the nroads Of Socialism and
Communism he also was the first to see the
dawn Of aerial supremacy. Essentially man
OF action, abrupt in speech, he does things,
While in America we are too prone to talk about
the expediency Of things. Mussolini has put
into deeds plans which he himself first realized
possible of consummaton.
1t was Mussoni who so quickly recognized
the vital importance Of developing intensively
the air service Of Italy And he has gone about
it In the right way. Unity and concentration
are the very first elements in the progress Of
any art. In those countries where authority
and responsibilities are scattered there is an
eternal cross-pull that checkmates progress 1t
is only when department. with one man. or
at least very few, at the head is solely respon-
sible for results and has the power to go out
and get them that achievement actually fol-
lows
Premier Mussoni is deadly in earnest in
~ the matter Of promoting aircraft in Italy. In
formulating his policy of his first announce
ments was in regard to Italy's air force:
After making accurate examination of
the great importance that aeronautics is as
suming military and civil factor in all the
. nations of the world after having assembled a
council of admirals and generals to consider in
detail this important problem, after having OBJ
tanned the views and programs of the Italian
Aeronautical Association and of various Italian
technical, professional and sportve aeronautical
associations, have concluded that Italian aero
nautics, with the exception of that of the navy,
is in a state of insuftciency and inefiicency.
In order to build up an aeronautical force i'll