The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-02-19

Benito Mussolini lini never was
popular here,
but he was rsted as a strong man
and his judgment was rated as
pretty good He took his country
in hand at a juncture when IL I'M
doubtedly was in a shocking state
Of disorganization and soon set il
a-running not unsatisfactory in
an economic and industrial way.
He did it at the expense Of its lib
critics, TO be sure, but he systema-
tized things quite effectively. AS
a dictator he wasn't liked. but he
was assessed as a competent one
of his pattern and as thoroughly
tough.
It was taken for granted, too,
that the bulk Of Italians must be
solidly behind him - not the ones
he castor oiled, Of course, but the
big majority. Otherwise, it was
argued, he couldn't be getting
away with his program so success
fully.
But II so, the query Is, why don't
they fight for him any more capa-
bly, than they do? Poor leader
ship? Yes, but primarily it's
Benito's leadership, and previously
1t had been supposed that his lead
ership and general management
were first class-of the dictatorial
brand.
As remarked above, nobody sur
missed that Italy could make much
of a showing, at war, single hand
ed, with a premier power. When
Benito undertook 10 invade Greece,
though, l heard it spoken Of by
recognized authorities in Washing
ton as comparable to an assault by
Joe Louis on a siX-year-old kid.
And look what's followed!
Upsetting, at Least
Washington officialdom doesn't
take a full face value Rome's de.
malls OF rumors of anti-F7 -o'st dis
orders in various Italian cities.
1t doesn't seem possible, at this
end of the line, that Italians can
be otherwise than tremendously
upset by their army's repeated de-
feats by the Greeks and the rap
idly approaching loss Of their
whole African empire. In Africa
it's bad enough for them to be
driven into oblivion by the British,
but to be chased out by Halle Sc
lassi and his Abyssinian followers!
That's the limit.
They not only can't lick the
Greeks; they can't even lick the
Philippians. Worse. they're being
licked BY EN-.
True, this news unquestionably
is being more or less kept from the
Italian people at home by Benito's
censorship. Still, it's reckoned that
they can't but get some inkling Of
what's going on. It's inconceivable
that it isn't unfavorable advertis-
ing for Signor Mussolini.
Incidentally, Washington would
like to know how Herr Hitler feels
about his partners handling Of op-
erations in Albania, Africa and
the Mediterranean.
Adolf. in his book. "Mein
Kampf," referred to Italy as nat
urally a weak state" but he said II
had been greatly strengthened by
Fascism."
Does he still believe the latter +?
American expert diplomatic crit
les persistently predict that Adolf
very soon will arrange to have
Benito eliminated-not necessarily
assassinated, but dictatorially dis
posed OF by an internal Italian up
rising. Of Adolfs own promotion.
They suspect that II, as reported
there already have been disturb
ances, Adolf instigated or encour-
aged EN-.
Another Stooge?
For Germans TO butt in and take
obvious control Of the peninsula
naturally would be tactless II
would be better TO have an Italian
stooge OF Adolf's on the Job In
place Of Benito. 1t isn't that Benz.
to isn't, by nature, sufficiently to-
taiitarian; the trouble with him Is
he's a bone-headed one.
Adolf must have originally
thought Benito was O. K.
Another kind of a totalitarian
Comrade Stain, didn't think so
however. Joe Stain never did like
Fascism. Benito didn't like Joe
either. He was sore when Adolf
hooked up with him. For that
matter. Adolf hadn't previously