Evening star., 1926-05-23

dents OF the day on Which the attempt
was made against MuSSolini'S life
were for me the most interesting and
thrilling l have ever witnessed in
peace time. Prince Caetani, formerly
Italian Ambassador at. Washington,
later compared the sudden and star
Ting explosion of national feeling to
the consequences of suddenly kicking
q besuive violently. and the figure is
as exact as 1 can imagine.
Baf 1t is from the point of view of
the fresent state of mind of Italy. Of
tk& Immediate feelings of the Fascist,
of kNe popular emotion with respect of
Mussolini that this days happenings
are most illuminating.
One might read volumes and endless
columns in magazines and newspa-
perS on the present situation in Italy,
of the historical and philosophical
meaning of Fascismo. of the enthusi-
aSm for Mussolini of the men who
with him have made the great adven-
ture, and still never for a moment
appreciate the depth and extent of
passion that has been excited. of the
reality of the statement of those who
claim that the whole Fascist affair is
nothing less than revolution and real
revolution, not constitutional, but eX.
plosive.
Events of Morning
It Is, then, from this point of view
That shall try to describe what l saw
happen or knew happened on this
memorable afternoon. recalling the
single essential fact that at IL O'Clock
in the morning, just after he had COM
pleted q public address. Mussolini was
shot at and wounded by a mad British
woman; that he was hastily taken to
his home and that there was at first
a. certain measure of confusion and
doubt as to the extent of the injury
which fortunately proved in the end
TO be wholly insignificant.
AT 1880 on this morning | had set
out from my hotel for the foreign
office. which is the Chigi Palace, on
Sne CorSo Umberto, one of the main
streets of Rome and in the very heart
of the business quarter. 1t was like
one OF the hot, indolent mornings
which come in Washington toward
the end Of June, and Rome was TAX
ing an early Summer day with full
Southern calm. A good deal of the
business OF the day had beon done
already. and people were preparing
Tor the long and comfortable noon
rest
The Chigi Palace itself was as silant
and quiet as the state Department in
washington in late June when Con.
greSs has adjourned and the American
pubic has turned its attention from
politics to base ball. | waited in the
little anteroom while my card and
credentials went upstairs and hope
tully counted that they would bring
me an interview with Mussolini
promptly, perhaps that very after.
noon and there in this palace in which
ne tranSacts most of his public busi-
ness. although he lives simply enough
IN an insignificant street on the slope
of the Quirinal Hill. The atmosphere
was quite that of the State Depart
ment on dull day. and one almost
expected to see Eddie" Savoy com
ing presently to admit the visitor.
Excitement Begins.
must have waited upward of half
an hour, with that resignation which
the war taught all of us to have in
approaching public officials, when,
without warning, automobiles began
to crash through the archway leading
into the courtyard of the palace. Look
ing out the door, l saw men dashing
back and forth, all of them as they
entered raising their left hands to
give the Fascist salute, charging up-
stairs and down. Other automobiles
dashed out. with similar abruptness.
In less than half a minute the court.
yard, which had been as quiet as that
of Spanish house at high noon in
summer, became as animated as a
pier when steamer is sailing and as
noisy as a boiler shop. Moreover, 1
noticed that the faces of all the peo-.
pie whom I saw were drawn with ex.a
citement and that it was not pleasant
excitement. Mussolini had been shot.
All this time 1 was secluded in
The little waiting room and it was
hlgh noon when at last l was per.
united to go upstairs, there to meet
warren ID. Robbins, counselor of
the American Embassy and for the
moment in charge, since Mr.. Fletcher
was away. He had hurried at once
10 make the necessary official call
ana already diplomats and journalists
were beginning to congregate.
Coming out of the palace a. few
minutes later and walking north along
The Corso, It was interesting to note
the hrSt evidences of the spreading
OF the news. The earliest extras
were just being cried, flags were be-
Elnnlng to appear on the fronts of
buildings, people were leaving their
shops and offices and strayine into
the streets. But for the moment the
news had something of a paralyZing
effect. People stared at the headlines,
studied the newspapers, stood rather
dumbly, but with every evidence of
having suddenly become aware of a
fact OF tremendous Importance.
Clouds of Flags Fly.
Two hours later when 1 came out
into the Corso again the narrow
street was actually shaded by the
clouds of flags which hung from
every building. Not since the war
have I seen so many flags anywhere,
and not even during the war have
| seen more. There was not a shop
from the Piazza del Populo to the
Piazza Dt Venezia, more than mile
long, which did not have at least one
flag before it. Many had more and
already the windows Of the shops were
decorated with pictures Of Mussolini
himself Even more significant, the
bare walls were beginning to blossom
with notices addressed to various
Fascist organizations "Combattant
Groups" they call themselves-sum
moning them to assemble.
The Corso. indeed all the streets,
were by this time filled with crowds
of people who were beginning to
STERN down toward the Chigi Palace.
One could hear the hum of voices.
there was a sense of animation. of
excitement. You knew instinctively
ana at once that something had hap
"ersed and that something more was
going to happen. There was q sense
of anger in the sounds Of voices. Of
many thousands Of voices cheering
afar off.
Passing through side streets l
came down to the edge of the Quirinal
and suddenly turning a corner saw
a street filled from end to end with
Sendarmes There must have been