MODERN ITALY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21087, 12 February 1934, Page 15

MODERN ITALY

TO TUB IDITOI4 OP THK F»ESS. Sir,—l wrote the first letter full of facts and arguments against Fascism in order to give a chance to Signor Flocchini to dispute my facts, arid also to prove the case for Fascism, and in order to make the case quite clean and above beard I even signed my full Italian name. I could not be fairer, for if my facts were wrong, what excellent opportunity did not offer to Signor Flocchini to prove his own case. But Signor Flocchini ignored the whole affair, proving thus that my facts were right, and like anyone who is cornered and unable to answer he simply attacked me personally as an anti-patriot. But of course this is but logical from the Fascist point of view, for amongst ineir political phraseology they have resurrected an old word which they adopted as their watchword, and this is "totalitarian." By this watchword they simply mean that they are the sum total of the nation and they will not allow any other party or school of thought, apart from Fascism, and anyone else differing from them becomes an enemy of the State; the Nazis and the communists also claim to be totalitarians, as seen in Germany and Russia. "Luke," in his letter, mentions with pride the great commercial shipping of Fascism, but as all the world knows all the Italian shipping companies, from Trieste to Genoa, can carry on without the State subsidy. To withstand their unfair competition, England is now compelled to subsidise her own shipping. About cheap labour, is it not true that Italianmade trousers were sold at 5s a pair in London? Fascism is based on cheap labour, having abolished trades unionism as impossible in its totalitarian state. It abolished also parliament, juries, city councils, mayors, the free press, and free speech. "Luke" asks why do not Italians emigrate? But where can they go? But few years ago, when Mussolini allowed free emigration, although he had signed an agreement with Australia that no more Italians should emigrate there, shiploads of poor victimised Italians came to Australia, to be told that Mussolini should have informed them that they could not land. These poor souls had sold all they had in order to emigrate, and instead of being happy to return to Italy, they rioted on the ship. Some even risked being drowned like rats, swimming ashore, rather than go back to Fascism. This is my answer to "Luke." "Reasonable's" descent to personal attack upon me excuses me from answering him.—Yours, etc., UMBERTO COLONNA. February 10, 1934.