NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 53, 26 November 1930, Page 10

NOTES OF THE DAY

Signor Mussolini’s latest deliverance on the subject of Fascist policy is a reasoned statement of the objectives from which the Italian slogan of “peace and preparedness” derives , its impulse and vitality. Italy’s forceful leader is pursuing a well-defined policy' of intense nationalism. His ambition is to raise the'international prestige of his country and create in the imagination of its people an enhanced sense of self-esteem. These are laudable objectives and, if they can be attained without disturbing the peace and composure of Italy’s neighbours, so much the better for the general good. History teaches, however, that the development ■of similar aspirations by other nations has been attended by provocative activities tending to create alarming tensions and a belligerent atmosphere, and finally by a resort to arms. . Signor Mussolini’s programme involves certairi concessions from Europe. Naval parity with France is one. There are others, but the naval item alone is portentous enough to give Italy’s neighbours furiously to think.

With an appropriate ministerial blessing, and £lOO,OOO of -the people’s money, the newly-constituted Unemployment Board has been duly launched' upon its difficult and somewhat uncertain career. One hundred thousand pounds is a large sum and it should be cause for satisfaction that the spending of it is to be controlled by a body which, the Minister of Labour assured its members yesterday, is to be completely independent of Government influence. On the other hand the Government by turning the job over to the board has relieved itself 'of a difficult responsibility. The board, for its part, is very much in the position of a wealthy individual whose affluence exposes him to the importunities of a variety of supplicants ranging from “deserving institutions” to the writers of begging letters. Between the extremely difficult and somewhat thankless task of finding work for the unemployed and the easy privilege of paying out sustenance money, it may be strongly tempted on critical occasions to take the line of least resistance, and dissipate its substance by over-indulgence in humanitarian sentimentalism. It may be hoped that one of its first tasks will be to brace itself by sure safeguards against this slippery descent and so avoid the demoralisation that i‘«> Britain has turned insurance benefits into dolea.