Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01
STUDENT GLASS FIGURES
NPOLTTTCAL JPHEAVALS
Recent Demonstrations in Europe and
Elsewhere Show Youth i'm Van
of Various Movements.

4 zeal. Latteriy conservative tinge na'
/ been given to the Nationalist campaign
! and " IS made to prevail despite student
! or youth.
'raguan policy of the United States Oh
/ against United States policy in Mexico
! and elsewhere have been recorded II
usually get between the students and
/ the American embassies or consulateS
and diplomatic apologies come in reg
! ular order. In the Philippines, If agita-
/ ton for independence is the dominant
! idea of the adult politicos, the students
will back this up with characteristic
action.
! That relationships understand per-
/ fectly we'll this impulse of youth anc
put 1t to their uses is shown conclusive
ly in Russia, Italy. Turkey and other
countries. Indeed. Mussolini could not
have succeeded in Italy without enlist
ing youth. He harnessed this restless
eager desire for action, this Overlooking
still the backbone of his power. Pictures
of Fascist gatherings show the youth
fulness of many of his followers.
Mussolini has gone further. almost to
the cradle in fact. In his effort to line
up this force behind FaScism. Italian
boys are regimented along Fascist lines
SO as to merge naturally into its ideas
whcn the fiery Vehemcnce of youth
period arrives. Had not MusSolini given
Italian youth en outlet in 1922 the
country doubtless would have sunk into
chaos after fling at Communism. The
suffer.n2s OF Italy following the war
were such as to make fertile field for
radical ideas and Communists we're
making the most of the opportunity.
They vent SO far as to seize factories,
exclude the owners and barricade them,
II was whispered that the monarchy,
church and private property would be
orerth-own or nationalized.
The Communists. of course, also were
ccurting italian youth with marked sue
cess. A little more time and the move
would have succeeded. Then it was
that aEussolini raised another banner
around which youth could rally.
Example of Russia.
Since Youth wanted action. and this
action had more semblance to idealism
than the artion offered by Communism,
Italian youth responded TO Mussolini
He did not disappoint them on the
score of action. He gave them the rope
for drastic deeds that youth interprets
as heroic. which satisfies the urge to
vigorous expression.
In Russia the same thing had hap
pened with variations. All the psyche
logical tricks known to astute adult
radicals we're employed to enlist Rus
sian youth bshind Communism. There.
too. children were specially cultivated.
and still are. Inc smuch as the Soviet
experiment came first, 1t is reasonable
to assume that Mussolini took hint
from Russia when he appealed to Ital-
ian youth--but appealed to them TO do
just the opposite of what youth did in
Russia.
For all the declamations of Mussolini
against existing society 1t Is conspicu-
Gus fact that MussoIini has not funda-
mentally impaired the monarchy, the
church or private ownership of prop
erty. Specifically some of them have
been restricted, but the Fascist revolu-
ton was intended to and did save Ital-
ian civilization as 1t existed. whereas
the Russian revolution was intended to
and did denlolish Russian civilization.
Youth in each instance played vital
role. in each instance believing it was
playing the role of savior. 1t is cause
for thinking that In either Russia or
Italy youth could have been turned
around and the Russian civilization
saved while the Italian was destroyed.
Renal knew his youth In Turkey.
The Nationalist I'm Egypt and India
know their youth as well. Does the
United States know its youth? The
impulse to action is alive in American
youth. bat what outlets are furnished?
A campus riot or a clash with the po-
lice after foot ball victory It is
possible that what Americans are
pleased TO call the revolt of youth, :"
or the plunge into Jazz life and the
vogue of the hip flask, companionate
marriage and similar ideas are nothing
more than the age-oId vehemence of
youth spending its energies on an in
ferior plane in a period where the o1-
portunity for more heroic action ap-
pears TO be lacking.
Problem i'm u. s.
Adult leadership in the United States
is graphing with this problem, for 1t
is recognized that sinister interests in
evitably will try and are trying to profit
by manipulation Of American youth.
The first point made in the program
tc prevent such misguidance Is the in
struction OF students in the obvious fact
that they are subject to attempted
manipulation. Youth well may ask IT.
self: Am / really thinking my own
thoughts and following my own i'm
pulses. or were they suggested to me?
Am backing cause that Is genuinely
what it seems to be- or has 1t been given
the appearance of justice. liberality and
idealism to fool me into supporting it?
Public peace and international friend
ship everywhere will be promoted IL
this self-knowledge is impaired to youth
In the view of many leaders. In JUS
tice to youth. however 1t is pointed
out that adults must themselves have
more conviction. more clarity Of think
standards of social and political conduct
If they expect youth to exhibit these
qualities and exert a constructive in
4s,,nr,n. Ia Ar.s.narf{n and foreign affa ire