The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-08-21
TREND OF WORLD AFFAIRS
BY Lucy Meacham Thruston
What Is Facism?

/
movement and international ferment
new idea is creeping into news
papers and magazines, radio and
platform expression. 1t Is that one
OF the major causes of the great un-
rest in Europe is clash between the
opposing developments of commun-
ism and fascism And the clash of
these developments has even been
compared to the religious conflicts
which have swept that continent.
Communism Is an old word, not so
generally understood but at least
leaving a vague understanding in the
mind, but fascismi What Is fascism
anyway? was asked of a leading
minister In large city. well you
see it comes from fasces which
means a bundle" then silence, and
the one who asked went sadly away
What Is fascism' was asked DIT a
club meeting "Well, you see In
Italy, in Spain now, in Greece, you
know you know" and that
was about ALL What then is
fascism?
The prophet Of fascism is the
Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto,
whose lectures at the University of
Lausanne were attended by Musso-
lini in 1902. Pareto's central thesis
was that the cycle of demagogic
plutocracy which he identified with
the 18th century may disappear
when new elements arise armed with
knowledge, force and will power
Trends which showed before the be-
ginning of the goth century must go
neglected for want of space, but on
November 6, 1921 the National
Fascist Party was officially organized
at a congress held in Rome 1t
could then rely upon 1854 mem
bers. Changes within the party it
self came in 1926 and in 1929. In
1880 the party had 9,857,036, this
number including the fascist organi-
cations of youth. How this has af-
fected Italian government cannot be
traced-for lack again of space. But
the central thought permeating
through Italy and other countries
might be roughly put in this way
The individual is subordinated to So
ciety, he cannot lead an existence
distinct from that of the state, in his
duty to the state he may be called
upon to sacrifice everything, includ-
ing life. The Fascist State, accord
ing to statements, is not only an ag-
gregate of groups and individuals,
but spiritual entity, "a religion of
the abject blindness of materialism "
Fascism, holding together every
thing and everyone for the good of
the state, requires leader, wise and
aggressive, hence the dictator, but
why hence the spread of this idea,
or is it best to call it political re-
ligion into Spain (the rebel party is
Fascist), into Greece, while worship
of the state prevails in Germany?
Fascism is taken from the word
fasces, but from that use of the word
to designate the bundle of rods car
ried before consuls and magistrates
in the professions of old Rome. But
that strength of bundle idea relates
itself also the the old fable of the
farmer and his sons, of the unbreak-
able bundle which he presented to
them and the very breakable sticks if
taken one by one. Is that not a
workable idea for Europe in these
days of crisis, is there not a deepen
ing consciousness of the fact which
the farmer demonstrated in his OBJ
ject lesson, that if the nations stand
together, they stand, but one by
one? At least safety depends
upon unity, and if this applies to the
safety and progress of Europe and
the happiness of it's people, why not
to that of the whole world?