Evening star., 1926-11-07
RI SIR PHILIP GIBBS,

ONDON.--lt is not strange
after Mussolini's fifth escape
from assa ssination thai he
IL should announce his solemn
conviction that he is man
of destiny. All through history men
who have Toucht their way TO rul-
ing power. lodging death and hostile
powers. come to believe God or fate
keeps special guard upon them so
that they may fulfill some high pur-
pose Iulius Caesar believed in his
stars Napoleon Bonaparte was con
Ninced he was the agent of mysterious
powers. The third Napoleon also
spoke of his star and was comforted
In prison and in exile by his mystical
faith that AS a man Of destiny he
would become the emperor of the
French
During the. last Great War / met
sereral officers who had no fear of
death or shell fire because after many
escapes they believed themselves to
he proof against all danger owing to
some divine protection. After the war
they must have wondered for what
purpose they had been saved when so
many died. But these men of destiny
like Mussolini aud his predecessors
have no such doubts. They identify
themselves with the ambitious and
victorious progress of their nations
1t seems TO them as though they had
been created and ordained TO leau
their people 10 high adventure fulfill
ing those national dreams or ideals
which belong to the history and the
poetry of all races.
Mussolini and Destiny
Mussolini as an Italian is very SEN
kitive to this word destiny" In his
early manhood he was a revolutionary
journalist and a religious skeptic and
2 modernist. But those were acci-
dental qualities. In his blood and in
his Imagination WAS the old Roman
spirit with racial memories of those
centuries when Rome ruled the world.
Very quickly after obtaining leader
ship the Italian youth united against
the bolshevik groups who threatened
10 destroy ltalys political and eco
nomic strength. He began to preach
q nationalistiC gospel based on force
and will power. He is not content
with internal order and prosperity.
He wants to make Italy mistress of
the Medlterra lie studies old
maps OF the Roman empire and looks
across TO Africa where Roman legions
held the highways Of civilization.
lie would revive the Old colonies in
Asia Minor. lie believes that by his
voice speaking at the dictation Of
spiritual powers and hy qualities in
himself beyond his own Intelligence or
egotism that the Italian people have
been called again TO play a great part.
perhaps a. supreme part. in future civil
lization.
Men of destiny have always been
dangerous to their neighborS. Their
mysticism leads them TO overlook pru.
dence and common sense. Every one
who admires MusSollni'S courage and
many splendid qualities rejoices once
again that he has escaped asSa ssina-
tlon. but it is one cause of interna-
tional uneasiness that after each at
tempt of that kind his belief i'm some
mysterious destiny. linked up with
Italian aggrandisement. should be eX-
pressed in alarming language.
Forests of Bayonet~.''
After his last escape his first words
were not in thankfulness to God or
in pity for that Young madman torn
To pieces by a n inluriated mob. RAJ Use
high your rifles" he shouted. $50 the
anything attractive about forests of
bayonets.' At this a stage of the
worlds history the world does not see
anything attractive about forests of
bayonets. IT. is rather anxious that
all these slitterins bayonets III Europe
should be beaten into plowshares or
toastinc forks or other instruments
OF peace.
\ leading French newspaper com
menting on Mussolinis speech. says:
Such words are not a gesture Of
friendship or peace. but only signiti-
cant TO any enemy of Italy against
whom a threat is directed"