The Washington times., 1935-08-30

ny - Ns NA1S - AsA@A
Foreign Editor, International
News Service
copyright, 1895. by international
News servies)
Since the rise to power OF Be-
nito Mussolini, Italian chauvinism
has been a carefully nurtureo
plant. The Italians, from the DAYS
of the first Caesar and before,
have been nothing without a
leader to drill constantly into their
consciousness pride of race, ma
tionality and power. Thus while
Mussolini is a distinctly Italian
phenomenon, the conditions
which made his triumph possible
were distinctly Italian also.
other nations might produce
great statesmen. great 1dealsts,
great industrialistS, great Sclen'
fists, great artists.
italy has contributed her share
Of these, to be sure, but Italy alone
could produce q MuSSolini.
In the troubled days immedl-
ately following the war there was.
as noted before, revolutionary
manifestations of an abortive ma
ture: audible rumblingS OF Com
muniSm, and outbreaks Of indus
trial unrest which clearly 1ndi-
Gated an upheaval to come.
Symbolic NatiOnAhStic Pride
The fracas already we're . SYM
Dol of nationaliStic pride. Little
groups marched eQuently
through the streets, giving loud
voice to the long.standing grieV-
ances of old. It is tribute to
Mussolini's early appeals to chau-
viniSm that along with the shouts
for Jobs, food and shelter there
were demands for the return OF
Dalmatia and Fiume. Young men
in Milan. Rome and Turin-moSt
of whom had travelled nowhere but
to the front and back again during
the war-suddenly felt themselves
responsible for the plight OF the
expatriated Italians in the north.
with no personal interests at stake
save that Of national pride, they
allied themselves by voice and ac-
ton with the northern irredent'
lists. FasciSm, rooted deep In the
soil Of a united nation, had begun
to blossom.
With whatever choice flowers Of
nationalism burgeoned in these
troubled days, there were rank
weeds also. Strikes were perpet'
ual. For no obvious reason, work
in factory and field would be
brought to a standstill. Soldiers
we're insulted. spat at. attacked.
Officers. still bearing proudly the
wound-stripeS Of Caparetto, the
Carso and the Piave, were wound
ed by bowling mobs. Medals were
trsmpled under foot. Cafes BE-
came the scenes of rowdyiSm.
italian fought hand to hand with
Italian.
Class Battle Continued
MusSolini'S biographers make
much Of these hectic days Of 1919.
The government. they declare,
was powerleSs. and such indeed
seems to have been the case. Des-
perate efforts were made to con-
ciliate the Socialists and bring an
end to the interminable strife. but
all met with failure. Amnesty
was extended to all deSerterS-
veterans were urged by the minis
try to wear mutt in the streets to
escape attack. But the aimlesS,
vicious battle of class continued.
On September II, 1919, Ga
briele's d'Annunzio. poet. dreamer.
idealist. master airman and the
greatest hero of the war. aban-
doned plans for an airplane fight
from Rome to Tokyo. 1t was
planned as an encouragement to
italian pride, but he saw moro
important measures were needed
to stave off civil war. He assem-
bled a small band of followers at
Ronchi. near Gorilla. crossed the
frontier and occupied Fiume.
D'Annunzio's dramatic action
was all that was needed to light
the spark of patriotism that
1eaped across the Adriatic and
spread throughout the length Of
italy. Mussolini'S Popolo d'1talia
was quick to sense the signifi-
canoe. The newspaper supported
the venture in glowing terms. bit
terly attacked the government for
its opposition.
Paved Way for Fascism
On october ., at a Fascist meet.
ing in Florence, MuSSolini tri-
umphantly announced that he
had just returned from Fiume.
from the side Of d'Annunzio. and
pleaded for indulgence, as it had
deprived him of time to prepare
his speech. But, In this address.
he nevertheless laid the ground
work for FaScism as it exists to-
day. He described 1t to his ex-
cited audience as q scheme for
Syndicates Of agrarian and indus
trial workers. He said its aim was
socialiStic or collectiviStic. but its
method aristocratic and based en-
tirely on the community Of nation
al interests. He said:
II do not tell y0U, o people,
that you are as gods. As / lOve
you truly, SO / should say to
you that you are dirty, you must
arise and cleanse yourselves.
you are ignorant, therefore set
yourselves to gain instruction
:. Horny hands are not enough
tn nPOve a man eanahIe 0f