MUSSOLINI AND WAR.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3334, 16 August 1926, Page 2

MUSSOLINI AND WAR.

(By Sir Philip Gibbs.)

There is no chancfe of disarmament in Europe so long as one man lives—and that"' is Mussolini. There is no prospect for the League of Nations and its supporters to establish peaceful arbitration between rival nationalities so long as one man scoffs at its visionary ideals—and that aga'in is Mussolini. There are published reports to-day that Italy, which means Mussolini, warned France that after .her victory over the Riffs, in co-operation with the Spanish, there must ho no forgetfulness of the Italian interest and claims in North Africa. Apart from published reports 1 hear many undercurrents of Italian opinion and purpose, as it is expressed and perhaps exaggerated, by Mussolini’s friends. In Romo this year 1 heard seine strange talk which made me anxious about future events, and in London it was repeated, not in whispers or in low voices, but openly Not long ago a young friend of mine, an Italian nobleman and one of Mussolini’s favorites, was talking to',me in a public restaurant about future Italy. “There is no secret about it,” he said, and lie raised his voice so that the people about us could hear. “Our population is too big for our frontiers; our Fascist spirit too big for our present state. We npist get more room for our people and our souls. Nothing can stop us. It is poor France, which I like very much, that will have to give way first to our desires and needs, n e want the Riviera, which formerly belonged to us. It is inevitable that wo shall take it by friendly pressure or by force of arms. We want Tunisia, which is inliabitated largely by our race. We must have it. Turkey also will feel our weight. We are determined to become the greatest power on the Mediterranean. There again France must retire before us. But the Turks must yield some of their possessions in Asia Minor. The Greeks must hand over some of their islands in return lor our friendly help elsewhere. We are out for an Empire, not because of national vanity or love of conquest tor its own sake, but because we must expand or suffocate. “Now that the United .States has

iihut its gates against Italian immigration, our man power and our intense national euerfgy, dynamic under Muss -iini’s leadership, must find an outlet, peacefully, if possible, or by violent explosion, which is much more likely. 1 speak as a realist. I have no patience with this League pap, which deceives old women and pallor Socialists.’’ I give the conversation because it represents, I believe, the general opinion of Italian Fascists and those most closely in touch with Mussolini. The Italian leader himself does not speak so openly with such definite intentions, out in liis recent public speeches he used words which caused considerable anxiety in diplomatic circles. His words have a curious, sinister resemblance in oratory to the German Kaiser before the World War. On the Italian battleship Cavour, only a week or two ago, Mussolini proclaimed Italy’s need of a. place in the sun. It is the exact phrase used by the Kaiser when he, too, challenged Franco in Morocco.

Willi Italy hemmed in,” says Mussolini, our economic need and national spirit demand expansion/’ That again was the Kaiser’s language in the days of his Imperial power, “Germany is encircled,” he said. “Wo need more dhow room.” In recent wayside oratory, speaking from a motor car to crowds of Black Shirts in Italian cities, Mussolini made constant reference to the time near at hand when Italian courage will be tested; when Italian manhood will show 'the world they know how to die and !mw to suffer. Speaking in a rain storm, he said: :You must stand as steady under fire as under rain.”

What do all those dark sayings mean? Is.it merely Italian rhetoric to stir the Mood of the youthful mobs or is it just flamboyant stuff to make good reading in Fascist newspapers? ‘his. anyhow, is certain., the Italian

army and navy arc being strengthened and equipped. There is not only no talk of disarmament, but scornful ridicule of all such ideas. Italy is buying

arms and ammunition Mussolini does not hide his contempt for the League of Nations, which gave Italy a slap in the lace, deliberately and brutally, when Italian warships bombarded Corfu. Tbe League is endeavoring, to strengthen existing settlements following the peace treaties after the World War I)v all manner of compacts and agreements. Mussolini and the Italian pc ople have no use for those existing settlements.

r ! hey believe tbal those peace treaties ignored their claims, repudiated their share in the war. broke many promises made to them as the price oi their alliance. They believe England and France betrayed and robbed them, 'they are convinced the League is dominated 1 1 y powers hostile to Italy’s expansion and policy. Mussolini smiles with cynicism when anyone talks to him about Llie League or world peace. Me is a disciple of Machiavelli in Italian subtlety of mind and of Napoleon, an Italian like himself, in contempt of talkers and theorists. He believes in force, action, energy and driving purpose rather than argument, persuasion and ide alism.

All the European statesmen are asking themselves what is tin* real meaning of this astonishing personality who achieved' something almost miraculous in Italy by substituting efficiency for disorder, industry (or laziness, nation-

til enthusiasm fur pessimism and disillusion, which swamped its spirit alter {lie war. I have seen every stage in lint progress, year by year since the time that: Italy was rotten with Communism, when careless strikes paralysed its industrial life and riots broke in every eitv.

! 1 have a profound admiration for .Mussolini’s prodigious courage and his genius, which enabled him to acunire leadership over all those bodies of young manhood which rallied against anarchy and scotched it. Mis dictatorship now is undoubtedly supported by the minority of ids people, although his ruthless suppression of free speech and freedom of the press and parliamentary liberty m proof enough that there is a minority still strong enough to he clangorous. Hut in spite of this admiration ft" - his many qualities, in my judgment. Mussolini is the most dangerous man in Kuronc. Mis success is making dictatorship the temptation of so many would-be imitators. Mis philosophy. based on force, lias cheeked tin* spirit of progress towards any new international democracy working am lines of idealism and iustice. In its logical results it is hound to lead to war. .Mussolini has declared that tin’s year is to ho Italy’s year of destiny. Personally. ! think that destiny is not ripe' for fulfilment, in tragedy or triumph, as soon as that. He is in too much of a hurry and is being threatened with an internal disease, as well as by the* constant danger of assassination. Hut he lias behind him an ardent people, inflamed wiMi national pride and ecstasy and askin r lor trouble in the way of adventure Mis leadership is unchallenged and

mesmeric. It depends on bis uucannv sense of reality and In’s real gifts of

statesmanship whether he will lead the way to rash adventure or check these passionate desires which he stirred by his own dramatic gifts. I think he will hold his legions in hand for some time yet, but it is not good for Europe that its peace should be dependent on one man's mood or good health or impatient ambition. Mussolini, with a touch of fever, might light a fire which only rivers of blood could quench.