Evening star., 1938-09-04
IL Duce in Hitler's Tow.

NO oCner explanation OF 1taly's adoption
OF anti-Semitism seems plausible than
that Mussolini finds it imperative slav-
lshly to hitch his wagon to Hitler's star.
Certainly nothing within the Fascist state
that hitherto has come to international
attention justifies such harsh measures
as the enforced exile of all Jews who took
up their residence in Italy after the
World War, and the even more cruel
decree banning both Jewish teachers and
students from all public schools of any
grade or class A sole exception is made
for students already enrolled in the uni
versities, who will be allowed to finish
their courses
According to recent census there
are $4,000 Jews in Italy. mere fragment
Of the population of more than $4,000 900,
so that if 10000 post-19l9 arrivals are
forced to leave within six months. under
the September l proclamation, only
$1,000 Jews will remain. or something
more than one Jew for each 1000
Italians. The claim that restrictive laws
are required in the name of Italian "ra-
cial purity" would be exploded by these
mere statistics, leaving entirely on one
side the absurdity of the claim that a
nation of the heterogeneous elements
that comprise Italy is justified in glori-
Tying italian racism' and pleading the
necessity of purging it Of pollution"
As DR.. Cyrus Adler, president OF the
American Jewish Committee, observes:
ut was silly enough for Germany to set
up the 'Aryan' theory. Every scientist in
the world knows there is no such thing
as an 'Aryan' race. For Italy to follow
Germany's example in this respect shows
a painful lack Of knowledge on the part
OF Italians, whether they be professors
or politicians. Modern Italy, derived
from an ancient state, is a conglomera-
ton of peoples-Etruscans, Romans,
their descendants who are often called
Latins: Greeks in the south and espe-
cially in Sicily; strong mixture of what
was called Saracen, really Arabic, blood,
and Germanic peoples of the north"
1t is from such an chronological tumble
that Mussolini would suddenly. and ruth
lessly eliminate Italians of Jewish origin,
who, throughout the nations existence,
and no more notably than during the
Fascist regime, have rendered valiant
service to their fatherland in all the arts
Of peace and war. Among Jews now come
under the educational ban are Italy's
leading obstetrician, Valerie Artom, pro-
fessor Of gynecology in Rome University,
and Professor Tullio Levi-Civita, prob
ably the country's foremost mathema-
tician and whom Albert Einstein con-
sidered his greatest disciple
The reason for Mussolinis conversion
to anti-Semitism is to be found in his
external necessities rather than in any
purely internal extremities impeding his
march straight ahead in application OF
the Fascist race doctrine. Primary
among II Duce's motives is his compul-
sion to lean ever more heavily upon the
Berhn-Rome axis Ever since Nazi
power in Central Europe was enhanced
by the absorption of Austria and the
direct menace to Italy was magnified by
the arrival Of the German Army at the
Brenner Mussolini's dependence on the
good will of the powerful though basic
ally despised and mistrusted northern
neighbor has been intensified.
Furthermore, with visions of an un-
derstanding with Great Britain and
France diminished by his insistence upon
Frances victory in Spain, the self-pro-
claimed Grand Protector Of All Islam"
finds the currying of Hitlerian favor the
one best bet now in sight for furtherance
OF 1talys gnawing ambitions for empire
extension in Africa and the Near East
And finally, OF course, Italian anti
Semitism is a useful club with which to
beat the British in Palestine because it
is so highly agreeable to the Arab foes
OF the Jews and the mandate power Not
to be forgotten is the fact that the earli-
est intimation of Mussolini's Jewish VEN
delta was in May. 1897, when his own
Milanese newspaper growled that Jew
ish state in the Holy Land was a mere
cloak for British imperialism and warned
Jews in Italy to abandon Zionism.