The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-11-20
Washington
Merry-Go-
Round
NOV. 20, 1885
BY DREW PEARSON and
ROBERT :. ALLEN.


yXTASHINGTON. Nov. 20.-As the
w European ring around Italy
tightenS, the complete inside story
Of the facts behind the Roman
tragedy gradually is unfolded. ~
Even official reports. voluminouS
as they have been, have left several
blank spots in the Italian picture.
1t was known TO the United States
War Department. for instance, that
some time around May, the Italian
general staff submitted TO MuSSolim
a highly discouraging report regard
ing the time and expense of con-
quering AbySsinia.
1t was also known then that II Duce
was heading into domestic storms.
Not only was there a growing sub
terranean criticism Of him, but his
financial structure was headed for
the rocks. He had been running
into debt at a rate which would
have evoked cries of horror from
Liberty League Italians, had any
political party save his own FascistS
been allowed TO function.
EU r T H ERIN ORE, Mussolinrs
Il system of planned economy,
higher tariffs, plus lower tourist ex-
penditureS and decreased emigrant
remittanceS, was running Italy's in
ternational balance deeper in the
red every year.
MuSSolini was up against it both
politically and economically, and as
an alternative he chose the prece-
dent followed for centuries by the
Caesars before him-conqueSt.
But the unfortunate fact-from
MuSSOlini'S vieWpoint-waS that
up until early summer the Italian
public was anything but enthusi-
aStic about the idea of conquest.
A T which point enters that part
L n of the picture, not fully real
lied hitherto, namely that MusSo-
lini proceeded TO use the English
as a drum-beat to lead his armies
into AbysSinia.
Prior to that time there had been
no anti-EngliSh sentiment in the
Italian press. Nor had there been
any outburst against Italy in Great
Britain. References in the London
press were mild and casual. Capt.
Anthony Eden had even gone to bat
for Mussolini during the negotia-
tons with the Abyssinian delegate
at Geneva.
But suddenly, out of a clear sky,
the Italian press flared forth
against England.
Only those familiar with the way
the Fascist press operates can APP
preciate the significance of such
a blast.
Under this system, all editors are
required to take their cue from the
editorials of certain designated
spokesman. Usually this spokesman
is Mussolinis own paper, Popolo
d'Italia. 80
IN launching the blast against
Il Britain, however, the spokesman
was Signor Virginia Gayda, Of
Giornale d'Italia, partly because he
is an English expert and partly be-
cause anti-British caStigations in
Mussolini's own paper would have
brought the campaign too close to
home.
Giornale d'Italia, therefore,
launched a vituperative story Of
i111fl 101 icfin nfr
secutions, tortures, drugging and
poisoning Of rebels. The entire press
of Italy followed, even the comic
papers.
Protests by Sir Eric Drummond,
British ambassador, were unheeded.
And it was only after this that the
British press caught fire.
The result in Italy was convic-
ton that the British were the nat
ural enemies of Italy, that they had
determined to throttle Italys nat
ural growth, that they themselves
yearned for the prize of Abyssinia.
In fact, Italian public opinion has
now come to the point where it even
does not consider Italy the agrees
sor in Abyssinia, but as the potential
victim OF robbery by England.
Italians consider themselves the OPP
pressed, just as they did when they
struggled to liberate themselves from
Austria and the Papacy.
Thus Mussolini got what he
wanted.
Whether he also wanted, or even
expected, such vehement retaliation
by Great Britain only he can an
sWer.
But when the final story of the
italian tragedy is written, one Of
the most important chapters will be
a description of how national
propaganda machine, in full control
of the press, remade the viewpoint
Of the Italian people.
Copyright. 1885. by United Feature
Syndicate. 1nc)