“TIRED OF MUSSOLINI”

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 62, 7 December 1926, Page 7

“TIRED OF MUSSOLINI”

NEW ZEALANDER'S IMPRESSIONS OF ITALY ■ CHANGE FROM DICTATORSHIP TO DESPOTISM Dominion Special. Auckland, December 6. To be not 150 yards from Signor Mussolini when a bomb was thrown at him, when his car was traversing the Piazza Porta Pia, Rome, on September 11, and within sight of the lombs Prison, New York, when a battle was fought between prisoners and warders, on Novepiber 3, were two of the experiences which befel Mr. Charles Wilson, formerly Parliamentary librarian, who returned from a world tour by the Niagara to-dav. Describing what he saw of' the Mussolini incident, Mr. Wilson said that, although only 150 yards distant, he did not hear the explosion of the bomb thrown by the young stonemason, Giovannini, but knew that something was amiss by the sudden appearance of hundreds of Fascist!. They smashed the windows of a nearby Socialist co-operative store. “Troops with machine-guns then came on the scene, and I thought it time I got out,” Mr. Wilson said. “Needless, to say, all the Socialists in the vicinity disappeared. The cabled reports, to the effect that the Rome crowds were incensed, are entirely wrong. Outside the Fascist!, there was no manifestation of sympathy at all. On the night of the incident the people of Rome were sullen, quiet, and discontented. That evening I heard Mussolini address a crowd on the Piazza Colonna. He made a strong speech, and bitterly attacked France by implication. It is no exaggeration to say that Italy is muzzled by Mussolini. It seems to me that his rule is changing from dictatorship to despotism. The latest advice was that he held seven Ministerial portfolios, and he is undoubtedly trying to run the country himself.” Mr. Wilson said that he believed the people were becoming tired of Mussolini’s rule. One could not speak in Italy without fear of bringing the wrath of the dictator and his followers on one’s head. The Fascist! themselves were very young and irresponsible, and it was a question whether Mussolini could keep them in order. There was no doubt that, industrially, Italy was making wonderful progress, Mussolini being responsible for much of it. On the other hand, the cost of living was simply crushing.. “There is no question that Mussolini has power,” he continued, “but I must confess that I am much afraid of the future. What will happen I cannot say, but the people seem discontented.” Speaking of the New York incident, Mr. Wilson said that he was out driving in a char-a-banc with his wife, and when passing near the Tombs Prison thej- heard shots. “At first I thought the people were celebrating the victory of Mr. Al. Smith for the New York Mayoralty,” he said. “Suddenly, however, dozens of police appeared from nowhere. We heard more shots, and then our char-a-banc took another route.' We later heard that the fight was brought about bv an attempt, to escape made by three prisoners. Three were killed and two others were mortally injured.” Despite these adventures, and many of minor importance, Mr. Wilson, has returned fully restored to health. With Mrs. Wilson, he visited Australia, France, Holland, the United Kingdom, Italy, the United States, and Canada. While in Paris he renewed many acquaintances he made during his stay there many years ago.