Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-21
ITALY IS PRISON"
SOCIALIST HOLDS
Turati, Who Escaped Recent
Iy to Corcisa in Motor Boat.
Says Duce Is BIuffing.
By Gable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Conyright 1926

By Gable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright. 1926.
PARIS, December 21.--"Italy has
become a prison." 1t was with these
words that Filippo Turati, venerable
leader of the Italian Socialist party,
began the only interview he has
granted an American correspondent
since he escaped to Corsica in a mo-
tor boat few days ago.
Turati received the writer at lunch
con in a big, bare dining room OF a
Paris apartment. to which he had
been welcomed by group OF his
comrades in exile. Pine tables. paper
napkins. modest fare, all bespoke
economy-almost poverty-but all
eyes shone brightly and joyous laugh
ter resounded. for the guide and lead
err. whom even the Socialist adver-
saries respect. had at last arrived.
Heretofore we had only his photo
graph. Now we have him. You can
understand our happiness" said for
mer Editor Nenni of Avanti, the
Italian Socialist paper.
Long Trips firing.
Turati sat on an old, sunken-in RED
sofa. Although wearied by his long
voyage-14 hours in a motor boat and
then the trip from Corsica to Paris
he carried his ~ years with energy.
His eyes were luminous and smiling.
Around him were gathered some 20
exiles, all of whom formerly played
an important part in Italian politics.
Italy is a prison." Turati repeated.
81 can find no other expression to de-
fine the present situation. My country
is sitting under tyranny unprecedent-
ed in history. It is impossible to ex-
press a free thought, whether by pen
or by word. 1t is impossible even to
make gesture without authorization
from the police.
"A detective slept outside my door
and followed my every step through
the streets. Every letter cent or re-
ceived was opened and read. / could
not communicate with my friends
without exposing them to the gravest
danger.
Not only has open political oppo-
sition been suppressed, but material
life is made impossible to all who re-
fuse to surrender their pride"
Office Was Invaded.
"I was a lawyer and journalist"
commented Claudio Treves, one of the
leading socialist writer's Of Europe.
Our newspapers were suppressed.
Thrice my office was invaded by
Fascists, who pillaged everything,
burned my files and those OF my eli
ents. The police were always bother
ing me. My landlord evicted me-. L
should have died of hunger il l had
remained in Milan"
"One after another" continued
Turati, 1.-The leaders Of the Socialist, or
even of the liberal parties. are con-
demned to enforced domicile. They
are not put in prison, but are sent to
little islands near Sicily, with convicts,
thieves and murderers.
"All children are forced into Fascist
organizations. Those who do not give
the Roman salute are driven from
school and their parents are visited
by Fascist bands"
"What g. you think" the cores
pondent asked. "of Italy's military
preparations on the French frontier"
In my opinion all of Mussolinis
foreign policy is a bluff" said -Turati.
HE is preparing for war because ne
knows all the European powers, es'
pecially France, want peace. He
hopes that to safeguard that peace
they will make. concessions to him.
But any dictator is always obliged to
bluff more and more. and the moment
comes when he is no longer master or
his own actions. That is what makes
the situation dangerous. But If such
a misfortune befell him, it would end
Fascism. At the first blow, Musso-
lini and his regime would fall.
Holds Fascists Divided.
"Are the Fascists divided?" the
writerasked.
"Fascism," Turati replied. sis not a
coherent party, it is a band. 1t in
cludes autocratic reactionaries like
Federzoni, former revolutionaries like
Mussolini. These latter insist Fascism
will finally bring revolution. Some
day there will be a brutal conflict be-
tween these factions.
Furthermore. big manufacturers
who used Mussolini to break socialism
and Syndicalism now see that they
have been enslaved by him. They
want to get rid of tyranny which is
as heavy for them as for their politi-
cal adversaries."
"Can the Fascist regime last much
longer?"
WHO knows? The Italian people
are bound hand and foot. In any case,
Fascism will not survive Mussolini."
What do you intend to do now?
II have no plans vet. But italian
emigres need organization. Perhaps
we can publish paper in Paris"
Turati fell silent, somewhat YEARLY.
Some one handed him glass of spar
king wine. And all standing. the
exiles. with glasses in hand. repeated,
d.