Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1931. A "HIT-AND-MISS " GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 35, 11 February 1931, Page 8

Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1931. A "HIT-AND-MISS " GENERAL

When Bolingbroke and Mowbray were arranging to settle their quarrel by an appeal to arms, Shakespeare represents Richard 11. as intervening with the remark, Wrath-kindled gentlemen, be rul 'd by me; Let's purge this cholor without letting Wood. ' In the little tiff between wrathkindled gentlemen on either side of the Atlantic, which in form raised an issue between their respective States, the position of President Hoover as the ruler of one of them differed materially from that of the English King, but he may, nevertheless, be congratulated upon having purged the choler of Signor Mussolini and Major-General Sriiedley Butler not only without letting blood but without even imposing any serious strain on the Kellogg Pact. In a country where international responsibilities are very lightly regarded, and generals and admirals and police officers seem to be as free to talk as anybody else, MajorGeneral Butler had lold a Philadelphia audience that Signor Mussolini is "a mad dog of war" arid "a hit-and-run motorist." In support of the second 6f these "charges he supplied the interesting'detail that ho had a friend who toured Italy with Mussolini, and saw the Premier's motor kill a child and drive off without giving aid. Trje "mad', dog" charge was made more specific by accusing him of a desire to start wars. What Signor Mussolini had to say to the vaguer of these charges is not reported.. If language of this kind had been deemed worthy of official notice, the Foreign Offices of Europe would have bean kept pretty 'busy ever since the march to Rome which made him the master of Italy. Whenever he hurls a bombastic challenge in the face of the world, talking of the forest of trifles by, which his Blackshirts are to darken the sunlight and make short work of the enemies of Italy, or declaring' that aeroplanes and battleships are much more beautiful than words, the militarists, the moderates, and the pacifists of other countries are able to concur in criticisms just as severe as those of General Butler. But Signor Mussolini has not found it necessary to make a diplomatic protest. A sufficient reply has been to pour some oil on the flames of their indignation in another speech. The eminence of his American critic as a soldier no doubt distinguishes this case from the ordinary ones, but even so it would probably have passed unnoticed if a definite and dishonouring charge of another kind had not been added which was better deserving of notice. Without setting the machinery of diplomacy in motion, Signor Mussolini plight have disposed of the "mad dog" charge by following St. Paul's lead and declaring at the next suitable opportunity that he was not mad, but had spoken words of soberness and truth. But, though of less international significance and of no military significance at all, the second of General Butler's charges was gross and specific, and it cannot be denied that Signor Mussolini's answer is conclusive. He says that he did not run over anyone, and did not take an American on, a tour of Italy. Even if a Philadelphia lawyer had been retained for the . defence of General Butler, that surely must have satisfied him, and for the American Secretary of State it was a good deal more than he needed. The result of the strong protests submitted by Signor Mussolini through the Italian Ambassador' was that the United States Government sent an apology to Signor Mussolini and ordered a general« court-martial for General Butler. 'It was certainly a fortunate thing for the Government that this procedure was available, for the only issue before such a tribunal would presumably have been the question of discipline, on which professional opinion could not have been divided. But had the matter come before an ordinary Court, whether civil or criminal, it is appalling to think of the mischief that might have been done by a fight on the merits before an American jury. For General Butler, however, the position appeared awkward, since trial by court-martial would have left no chance of a successful fight, and at the best must have resulted in a professional black mark. .'Yesterday's report showed, how-

ever, lhat a situation had been found which is satisfactory to all parties, unless the disappointment of (he outsiders who thought lhat even before a court-martial the case "promised to develop sensationalism." is to be considered an exception. The apology of the United States Government to Italy has been followed by an apology from General Butler to the United States Government, and the court-martial will not be held. In addressing his apology to His own Government General Butler has doubtless taken the formally correct course, since it was for a breach of his duty as a soldier that he was to be tried. But he might with advantage have been more explicit and more generous in his reference to Signor Mussolini, who was the real complainant. General Butler does not say that he was misreported or misinformed, but that he had not expected his remarks to pass beyond the four walls of the club in which they were spoken. Ho expressed his regret that this incident and his indiscreet remarks had caused embarrassment to the Government, but there is no suggestion that his indiscreet remarks were also correct. The apology was, however, considered adequate by the Secretary for the Navy, .to whose department as an officer of the Marine Corps General Butler belongs, and with "a mild reprimand" the incident was closed. It is satisfactory to know that the general public opinion has been to tho effect that General Butler merited a reprimand for indiscretion, and the effect may be to impress some slight restraint on offical loquacity in the United States. But the incident does not encourage the hope that the next time "Big Bill" accuses King George of having designs on the liberty of Chicago, or the Hearst papers accuse a British Prime Minister of slyness and trickery in the conduct of an International Conference, a protest would achieve even the barren success of a "mild reprimand." . •