Evening star., 1936-08-20

His government Is a government Of
young people. He considers himself an
old d-timer-Mussolin is SO years old
now. His chief lieutenant, Count
Ciano. the foreign minister, is 80 years
old; the minister of finance, Baron
Thaon di Revel, is Al; Ricci, the MN
lister of education, is "a, and so down
the line You can't find a member Of
his cabinet or man in a responsible
position who is over As. The only ex-
ception is Marshal Badoglio, the hero
in Ethiopia. who is maintained on the
active list of the army despite his 81
years. Badoglio is soldier and spe-
cialist whose experience is necessary.
But even he is considered in tine war
department as an elder statesman.
and they go to him only for advice
and counsel.
It is for the youth that new italy
is being built. And youth responds 100
per cent to Mussolini's efforts. Young
sters like to play soldier Mussolini is
giving them plenty of that. Every
child from the age of 6 belongs to
what they call here q "balilla," re-
vised Boy Scout organization. 1t Is
really a military organization where
the youngsters play soldier in earnest.
Between the ages of and IA they are
taught to march in formation, to work
together and develop the body. After
the age OF Is they are given rifles
identical except in size to these rifles
are the military rife manufactured by
the army arsenals There are about
1000, 900 in existence.
Athletics for boys and girls are COM
pulsory every Saturday afternoon and
Sunday. During that time each week
Italian youth plays earnestly.
They gather in the forums, especially
built In practically every community
as a tribute to II Duce, to indulge In
all kinds of sports, swimming, tennis,
foot ball, shooting. basket ball. Not
Sunday passes without Mussolini in
specting some camp. He pilots his own
plane and can be wherever he likes in
q few hours His visits are never
broadcast beforehand. Not even his
aides know when and where he will be
next Sunday. He just arrives unex-
pectedly in Naples or Florence or Turin
or Bari and goes straight to the forum
to see "his children" play.
He reviews them at once: with q
pleasant smile for the tiny ones and q
severe and earnest face when the old
ones-those over 15-march by. Mus
solini does not miss his effects. The
youth are inoculated with the Fascist
doctrine in the most pleasant manner.
They know no other. They can't imag-
inc that there can be another, and
when they hear that there are other
countries with other systems and other
laws they consider them as barbaric
states.
Some Opposition.
OF course, there still is opposition
among the old families and the rich
class against Mussolinis unitarian
state. Their number necessarily is
small and the opposition does not worry
the dictator at all. The young members
of the patrician families are compelled
to play with the others; they are COM
PEELED to join the army like the rest Of
Italy's citizens. And when they come
back" an old patrician confessed to
me with bitterness In his voice, they
are corrupted. They believe that Mus
solini Is the greatest man who ever
lived and his Fascist theories are the
best things in the world"
In the masses there is no opposi-
ton to II Duce's regime. There can
be none. The italian people have
been used to short rations for gen.
erations; at the present moment they
have more than In the past. And
among the industrial workers. more
intelligent and more apt to succumb
to an anti-Mussolini propaganda, the
feeling Is that they are better of
than they would be under q different
government.
The 40-hour week was introduced in
Italy two years ago. And the en-
ployers must obey it-as long Is there
Is no question Of the interests Of the
State. But II those interests are In
volved there Il no limit to working
hours.
Despite the strong dtscpline which
exists Mussolini y cotni3ant of the
possibility Of social disturbance even
IN the Fascist state. And - . Tule