The daily worker., 1935-01-29
Italian ConSuIs Here Intmidate AnhFascist Workers
Continued from Page u

s the Ovra," he said. 'ThOse initials
stand for the Italian words mean
ing, roughly, For the Security of
the State named, as one Of
these in touch with the Oyra, an
Italian citizen who is a very in
fluential professor at Columbia
University"
Since then I have learned, and
Mr.. Valenti mas confirmed, that this
educator is Professor Prezzolini, the
Casa Itaiana director. The Casa
Italiana has been declared to be
Fascist controlled a number of
times. 1t remained for Mr. Vslenti
to disclose, and for the Congress
sionsl investigators Of Fascism to
conceal, the fact that its director
Is a Fascist secret agent. Casa
Italiana has been defended, repeat
edly, against accusations Of spread
ing Fascist propaganda, by Presi-
dent Nicholas Murray Butler, of
Columbia University. 1t was Butler
who proposed the institution. 1t is
housed in a magnificent $500, ,OOO
building.
Il told the Committee that the
r. Ovra agents send TO the Rome
government or to the Italian con-
SuIs the names of Italian Amer
leans, some of them citizens of the
United States, who manifest any
hostility to Rome or FasciSm,"
the editor continued. "I said that
on the basis of reports from these
Ovra agents, the Rene govern
ment and Its cOnsuIs in the United
States have terrOrized Italian
Americans here and their reIa-
tiveS in Italy. named one busi-
ness man who withdrew advertis-
ing from my anti Fascist news
paper, regretfully showing me
letter from the Propaganda Min
istry in Rome, serving notice that
if he did not withdraw it, his busi-
ness would be ruined.
81 named an American citizen
in YOnkers who has been perse-
cuted for being 'dislOyaP to Rome
and Fascism. This person was
seen at anti-Fascist demOnstra-
tiOns. Efforts were made to en-
barrass him here. His relatives in
italy were arrested and warned
that If he did not relent, all of
them would suffer for it. 1 testi-
fled that Italian cOnsuls in New
York City, Yonkers and Detroit
have participated in such perse-
cutions.
81 told the Committee that
Italian COnsuls here have taken
part in programs of educational
work handled Jointly by Catholic
paroachial schools and Fascist
education and propaganda
authorities in Rome. These schools
are sending Italian American chill
dren to Italy ostensibly for vaca-
tiOns but actually to initiate them
In the Fascist movement under the
guidance Of authorities in charge
of educational work Of the Fascist
State"
Editor Waits in Vain
T- When he finished his testimony in
July. Valenti was assured that he
would be called back to present to
the Committee further documentary
evidence for the record. He was as
sured his leads would be investi-
gated. He was subpoenaed for last
September 7. But when he appeared
on that day, in executive session, he
waited in vain for hearing. He was
told to wait. He did, but was never
called.
Later Valenti and a group Of
Italian liberals protested to the
Mccormack Dickstein Committee
against its evasion of Italian Fas-
cist activity. They were promised
that he would be heard during the
week Of December IT. Valenti was
scheduled to testify on January 20.
But on December Is, the Commit
tee Secretary wrote Valenti's rep
resentative in Washington as fol-
lows
Tn arranging final plans for the
testimony to be received at the
Public Hearing during the week of
December 18th. the Chairman Of
the Committee has decided to con-
fine the considerations before the
Committee entirely to those sub
jects relative to Communist activ-
tiles in the United States"
Now it happens that Congress
man Dickstein is a recognized
creature of Tammany Hals
And that GenerOsO Pope is a
power in Tammany Hall and a
Mussolini henchman. 1t may be a
mere coincidence, but l doubt it.
Particularly since, Valenti said,
Mr.. Dickstein is persO
friend of Mr.. Pope, and Mr.. Pope
gave private banquet for Mr..
Dickstein on the Sunday preceding
the date on which Mr.. Valenti
would have testified but for the
sudden decision to exclude every-
thing Decides Communist activ-
tiles"
Valenti himself is said to have
been threatened by gangsters work
ing for publisher Pope.
Carlo Tresca, wen-known editor
of II Martello, anti-Fascist language
newspaper Of New York, made this
charge in his newspaper. He sent
a news release on it to all Man
haitian city editors for last Oct. 81.
This release declared that, "an at
tempt is being made by Generoso
Pope in this city to exercise censor
ship over the Italian language press
by means of gangsters. An attempt
is being made to inaugurate in the
Italian colony in the United States
the same political regime in the
press as prevails today in Musso-
Iini's Italy" The despatch said Pope
physically attacked" and threat
eped with a revolver" one of his edi-
tors who was active in the News