San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-25
NOBODY KNOWS
WHAT He WILL
Do NEXT
Rome's Dream Of Empire
May Yet MateriaIize
Ex-premier Warns.
By D. LLOYD GEORGE
Former Premier Of England.

most controversial personality in Eu-
rope today. 1t is that of Signer Mus
soiini, the Italian dictator.
There are other dictatOrs in Europe.
Leaving out Russia, there are four or
five governing lands situated between
the Black Sea and the Atlantic. In
that respect, the European continent
is filling the role which South Amer
lea occupied in its less settled days.
But none of the other dictators at
tracts the attention which centers on
the Italian Duce. 1t is not due to
the electric atmosphere Of assassina-
ton, attempted or successful-Gibson
or Matteotti. That is the invariable
accomplishment Of all usurpations.
Force brings these tyrannics into be-
ing and they, in themselves breed the
temper of violence which is never con-
fined to one side.
He defined his policy as Inter
nally-order, authority, religion,
wellbeing of the people; externally
the national dignity" Compare that
utterance with the words in which the
Italian dictator defines his policy.
what is Fascismo but. first, re-
spect for the national respect for
discipline, for law and order?"
MANY PARALLELS.
No historical analogy is, or ever
can be complete. But there are many
llal he NIL al IS
the second Empire and of the Italian
Fascist regime. Louis Napoleon
could not, so soon after the French
revolution. mock at liberty in the
contemptuous tones OF modern
Fascist. The Bonapartist dynasty
was a child Of the revolution, with
its liberte, egalite, fraternite. But
in the essentials, the attitude Of the
Second Empire and OF the Fascists
towards democracy is identical.
There is the same appeal to the
people to choose freely their repre-
sentatives TO the National Assembly.
But in both cases the choice was
judicially managed BY the central
authority so as to secure Parlia-
ment that would tamely do what II
was told.
of the two dictators, the Italian
is the more outspoken in this ideas.
He does not conceal his contempt for
Parliaments OF all sorts.
THINKS SYSTEM WEAK.
He is convinced of "the decadence
Of the democratic and parliamentary
system in all countries" He once
declared that parliamcnts, in the past,
had been useful. They had done emf
nently good work. Today, perhaps,
something new and more progressive
was needed. He did not know himself
yet when it would eventually be. In
his opinion, the press has in many
respects replaced parliament"
All dictators have displayed the
same intolerance Of assemblies which
insisted on discussing action either
before or after it has been taken. All
dictators have preferred to choose
rather than to be chosen by their cleo
torate. Lenin would not trust the
peasants, who constitute so per cent
Of the Russian workers. He preferred
his 100000 Communists.
Mussolini claims to have 100000
rascists behind him. Even so. they
constitute but one sixth Of the Italian
male adult population. Cromwell only
consulted the "saints'-which always
and in every age means the people who
are in entire agreement with your
views. Louis Napoleon saw 10 it that
only well disposed persons were
elected-that of course meant persons
well disposed to his regime.
THEIR STANDING ARMY.
"The well disposed" "thc Commun-
ists," "the saints" and "the Fascists"
---Or by whatever other name you call
them-they are the standing army Of
those who have usurped authority BY
force. Both Lem and Mussolini
were quite frank about il. They both
distrusted democracy and said so and
founded their power on violence. Az
Mussolini puts IL: violence is NOR.
al, provided it is timely and surgical
and chivalrous.' The proposition. Of
course, involves as a corollary that
the man who uses violence must be
the sole Judge Of its morality.
Will France and Germany follow
suit? Liberty" and democracy"
have lost much of their thrill in post
war Europe.
Order, tranquility. discipline,
security and prosperity are more
potent in their appeal to the harassed
and impoverished European. France
has, for a century and a half. passed
from democracy into autocracy and
through autocracy to democracy with
the ease and heedlessness with which
an aeroplane, in its flight, dashes
into and out Of a cloud. II is all
a question Of the state Of the ntmos.
phere. The Germans have barely
emerged from n qualified autoeracy.
The success or failure Of the Fascist
experiment is bound 10 influence
judgment in all countries.
APPEARS TO SUCCEED.
Economically. it is to all appear
ances striking success. Italy is
prospering. All her industries are
doing we'll. There is no unemploy-
ment. Strikes and lockouts have
ceased. Workmen are looking TO
labor and not to agitation as an out
let for their energies and as a basis
for their hopes. Production Is in
ereasing-the expert trade Is improv-
ing-the budget has been balanced.
America has been satisfied. and
altogether the industrial and finan-
cial outlook is better than it hR
been since the war. All this is hay-
ing its effect outside gItaly.
In France, in Germany aud even
in parliamentary Britain there is 4