Evening star., 1943-11-22

He was the ineXorable enemy of
Fascism from its first moment until
the end came.
No Further Resemblance.
All resemblance between the two
men ends at that point.
Sforza is an aristocrat of the aris-
tocrats, a son of the Dukes of Milan
with 400-year-long family history.
In his youth he lived in castles,
played polo and toured the world
shooting tigers. Eventually he came
into great wealth in his own right.
When the time came to choose al
career his family chose the obvious
one for his social status-the dip
lomatic service. He went to the
University of Pisa, continued play
ing polo, but received a doctorate
of laws.
In the strict sense of the word
he never passed the diplomatic ex-
animation, although technically he
qualified for the service You are
being qualified" he was told by an
unhappy board of examiners, mot
for what you know but for what you
have the capacity of knowing"
In the years that followed he was
attached to the embassies in Cairo,
Madrid and London. He went to
Peking to the last court of the
Manchus. Something happened to
him there in CHINA complete
change of personality.
why or how I do not know"
he says.
He abandoned his polo ponies
and his hunting rifles and began
studying Chinese, a formidable thing
for the most receptive mind. He
disappeared from the glittering din
ner parties and spent his time with
the Chinese. Some years later he
became an intimate Of DR.. Sun Yat-
Sen, the George Washington of
China" He saw the end of the
monarchy and the arrival Of re-
public. Meanwhile, he had been
versing himself in Chinese history
and philosophy He was not the
first man to have felt their terrific
impact.
He says frankly today. II don't
know what 1 ever learned from all
that. Patience and serenity, per-
haps. I don't know"
He was still in China in 1914
when the great war began. For ar
guing that Italy should abandon the
Entente Cordial and join the
Allied side, which she later did, he
was disciplined by being sent to a
minor post in Serbia.
1t was the first time, but not the
last, that he was to be penalized
for what he believed.
Was Envoy to France.
Later he became the foreign min
lister and was Italy's Ambassador |
to France in 1922 when an ex-
Socialist school teacher named Mus
solini engineered the Black Shirt
march on Rome.
Sforza Immediately cabled from
Paris, rendering his resignation.
Mussolini replied asking him to re-
main. Sforza left the embassy
without any further exchange Of
messages. Back in Italy he said
he foresaw "a regime Of adventure
and oppression"
He added that he intended to fight
it.
He carried on the battle from his
seat in the Senate, to which he was
entitled by birth, for five years
He wrote and spoke boldly against
every act of the Fascists.
At first Mussolini paid no at
tention. Then he tried to silence
Sforza by bringing him into the
cabinet. Seven times he offered
his chief critic post in the gov
ernment; the Count refused once or
twice and then simply failed to
answer at ALL Finally the dictator
took a different tack.
Slugged by Footpads.
SforZa was arrested at Turin,
probably as gentle warning and
then released. The flow of criticism
from him continued and at last
plug-uglies slugged him, fracturing
his skull. He was scarcely out of the
hospital before one of his villas was
burned.
He said that time "a Fascist die
tatorship would be an adventure. It |
is also regime of oppression"
The Blackshirts answered with
shots. They not only shot at him,
but at his wife and other members
of his family.
1t was undoubtedly in reference
to all this that Mussolini declared
"Sforza is still here-and he is still
alive"
The climax in the struggle between
Sforza and Mussolini came on the
floor of the Senate after the murder
of the Socialist deputy, Matteoti.
Sforza spoke for only Is minutes.
Mussolini was present and Sforza
remarks were addressed to him per-
sonally.
He reviewed the physical facts of