Evening star., 1932-08-19

Mussolini Is declared unimpressive
when he says: "Only war carries all
human energies to the height of ten
sion and gives the seal of nobility to
peoples that have the courage to con-
front it." The italian premier Is ac-
cused OF appealing to the national!sm
Of the Italian people by magnifying the
glory of ancient Rome and its military
position His utterances are examined
in the light Of the known cost of war
and the present hope Of the world for
peace.
He must have his little joke" thinks
the Milwaukee Sentinel, with the sug-
gestion that he can always be counted
upon to say precisely the reverse OF
what American readers believe-it IS his
charm" Conceding, however. that he
redeemed Italy from the shame Of
dissolving government" the Sentinel re-
marks that "he would not be human II
he were not struck by the parallel be-
tween his own career and that OF julius
Caesar" The Milwaukee paper con-
cludeS with the warning The Amerl-
cans who smile tolerantly at Signor
Mussolini's structures upon liberty ought
to inventory the liberties whose perma-
nence they take for granted. They may
find that their indifference has forfeited
what he would deny them by fiat"
He has great sport watching his
mirror as he makes warlike faces, says
the Danbury Evening News, refusing to
believe that "he wants to see his Italy
at war with anybody" The Evening
News concludes: 'Mussolini deprecates
pacifism which Is of the turn the
other cheek variety. He fears that such
pacifism means softness, decadence.
But there is a world OF difference be-
tween a sane readiness to fight to de-
fend ones rights and an insistence upon
the 'glories' of warning for the mere
sake of the excitement OF the battle
field. We refuse to believe that MUS
solini is as bloodthirsty and as eager for
war as he asserts. He likes to horrify
people. dearly loves to hear the world
saw. Isn't he terrible! The very spirit
of conquering, irresistible Rome!'"
He is indulging In the kind Of I'M
perialistic claptrap which brought ABOUT
the World War and almost buried civil
iZation beneath the ruins OF Europe,
remarks the Houston Chronicle, with
the estimate of his contributions to
domestic publication: III Duce is not
at his best in Popolo dItalia. He Is the
swash- -buckling sergeant who considers
himself the reincarnation of Napoleon,
not the wise statesman who has learned
to associate with other statesmen in the
formulation of program which VIII
reduce to a minimum the danger OF
armed conflict among nations. 1t is the
lesser Mussolini speaking. the politician
who would intoxicate with words. not
the world figure who has kept Italy In
the paths of peace for a decade
Quoting the Italian premier's words,
the Dayton Daily News argues in oppo-
sition to his theory: Numerous other
enterprises bring human effort to the
height of tension. Prize fighting Is one.
Nothing brings human effort to such Q
height of tension as mob enterprise,
with lynching or two. As to the seal
of nobility war comes encrusted with so
many savageries, and other seals not so
noble that the price of this particular
nobility seems high. The world Is fun
of men who, like Mussolini, believe IN
war and reject democracy. Most OF
these profess to loathe war and respect
democracy. Mussolini earns admiration
for his honesty. Historians of the next
century will have data by which to pass
Judgment on his wisdom The
kaiser. ls years ago. acted on the Mus