Evening star., 1928-10-14
MussOlini Reveals His Greed

"Fasc!sm," he said, us with those
who work and produce. 1t is not
against any one who is contributing 10
the welfare of the nation. 1t is against
the parasite, the exploiting and the
| den1agogue
"Fascism has done more for the Ital-
ian worker than any government in the
whole history of Italy II has recog-
nized the labor movement and incor
! porated the trade unions in the state
! H. has done likewise with the employers
/ Labor and capital are on an equal foot
| ing in this country. italy has no
! strikes. no lockoutS. but labor court
! which insures justice to all. The days
! when labor was at the mercy of capital,
when labor unions were free to operate
| against the common interests. when
| employers could deal with their en-
ployes as they pleased. pay them star
| Vatiop wages. work them long hours.
| bully and browbeat them, are gone
| Fer ever in Fascist Italy We have
/ set up new regime Of social justice.
! Let the world look the facts in the
| face. This country which some people
| say is ruled by tyrsnt. has done more
! in the field Of social legislation than
| any other country on earth. More than
bolshevik Russia and more than demo-
| cratic America.
! He emphasized bolshevik Russia and
democratic America.
| IF you do not believe it. ask Albert
Thomas He will tell you. He will tell
| YOU what he said here and in Geneva.
Our various insurance. our labor laws.
! the homes we have built for the workers,
the assistance we are giving to the
/ peasants, the increased opportunities
| for education We are offering to every
child in Italy, tf1e aid and the protec-
! ton We extend 10 the needy and the
| helpless; these and Q hundred other re-
| forms place us at the head of all the
nations in Europe, and every italian
knows IT,"
And capital. your excellency?"
Capital Is amply protected and en-
couraged. The employers syndicstes
are at the service of the nation We
are not interfering with the right of our
business men to engage in honest and
productive business enterprises We re-
spect property rights. but not as against
human rights. All that we ask of cap
ital Is what we ask of labor, that it con-
tribute to the progress of the nation"
He stood back of his chair. his head
resting on his arm, his eyes gazing into
space. He was deeply engrossed in his
subject.
The Fascist state" he continued, "is
a state of producers. 1t rests on the
fundamental principle that above the
interests OF classes and parties are the
higher interests of the nation. Fascism
is for cooperation and not strife, econ
omy and not waste. This is the century
OF cooperative enterprise and we are
keeping up with the times"
Wont Discuss State Socialism.
Mussolini discussed at length the cor
poratiVe state, which. in his opinion, is
94scism's outstanding contribution to
Italy and the world. 1t Is the Fascist
idea that all the factors Of production
must be subcrdnated to- and be con-
trolled by, the state. The incorporation
Of the trades unions and EMPLOYERS
syndicates, the suppression of strikes
and lockout, the creation of a labor
court, the PRONUNCIATION Of labor
charter, and the establishment Of a
cooperative parliament, the members Of
which will be chosen by the Fascist
Grand Council from among the various
synd1cates of the country, are In keep
ing with this idea. The cooperative
conception of society, in the Judgment
OF many experts. is largely syndicalistic
and socialistic Many of its outstanding
features have been borrowed from Sorel
and Marx, both former idols Of Musso-
lini.
In discussing this subject. 1 hinted
at the possibility of state Socialism in
Italy--a possibility which is in the
minds of many Italians The Duce
shrugged his shoulders. He preferred
not to discuss the matter, but repeated,
in the nature of a reply. that private
initiative is still free in italy and that
capital is cooperating with the state.
There are many Italians, not a few
Of them Socialists still loyal to their
faith. who are sincerely convinced that
the virus of Socialism is fully alive in
Fascism. A group Of Syndicalists in the
north, headed by former leaders Of the
old Confederazione del Lavoro, who are
cooperating with the Fascist in the
promotion of the cooperative state. but
who are technically opposed to Fascism
as political movement, are specializing
on the probability that ultimately Mus
scll111 will revert to type and realize the
proletariat dreams Of his youth.
Critics Of Fascism.
Strange as it may seem, and, Of
course, it is open 70 discussion, the fact
remains that some of the bitterest
critics Of Fascisn today are to be found
In the ranks Of the very business men
who helped to finance the movement of
the Black Shirts in its early days. Italian
capitalists dreamed of an anti-labor
government, as reaction to the chaotic
Socialist rule that led TO the march on
Rome, but have come to see instead a
strong Government which is leaning
more and more on the workers and
peasants and less and less on industry
and finance. One of the most powerful
! flgures in Italy today is Edmond Ros-
soni the head of the Fascist trades un-
ions and former SoapboX orator on
| the East Side of New York Rossoni
speaks for labor movement which Is
slowly but surely becoming the domin-
ant factor In the Italian situation
But, conceding that this is true. the
TACT remains that in its present stage
Fascism is still long way from social
ism. Aside from its policy of class COL
! liberation, which is anti-Marxian, the
Fascist government is strongly national
lsttc. Mussolini may not nave abandoned
/ his early creed, but the one-tirne foe OF
/ the monarchy and the state. the blood
and iron advocate of red revolutions and
bloody weeks" has become an intense
patriot, sold completely to the ideal of
an Italy feared and respected through
out the world. At no time during the
whole Of the interview did he seem more
sincere than when he spoke Of Italys
place IN the world. His eyes sparkled,
his voice quivered, his gestures were
firm and impressive.
The moral and material greatness Of
the Fatherland"-here is his favorite
phrase, which he repeats again and
again in all his speeches, interviews and
articles. He is an ardent advocate Of a
self-respecting, self-asserting nation de-
termined to have justice in the world
II Is this conviction which explains his
| Kalserlike utterances and the applause
with which the utterances are received
by the Italian masses.
Mussolini believes that Italy's prob
lem of expansion will have to be solved
soon. In fact, he says that it will be