THE FASCIST FRONT

Evening Star, Issue 22843, 29 December 1937, Page 10

THE FASCIST FRONT

WHAT LIES BEHIND IT A VERY VARIOUS ITALY When one speaks of Italy one should be careful to distinguish between the Italian Government and the Italian nation, between the system that prevails and the real will of the people, writes R. A. Seott-Jnmes, in the • Christian Science Monitor.’ Sometimes one must suppose that these are merged, or nearly merged; at other times not. Everyone knows that there is a minority which- is not Fascist in opinion; but it is difficult to know how large that minority is, since only one kind of opinion is allowed to find open expression. On recent brief visits to Italian towns and during journeys in Italian ships 1 was able to discover how varied is the state of thought of Italians—how well informed some of them are about feeling outside their own country, and how utterly misinformed others. If one would be perfectly fair to them one must consider some of the conditions which have reasonably given them satisfaction. A little time ago I was impressed by the orderliness and apparent pleasantness of life in such northern towns as Genoa and Turin, which were free from the official fussiness of Rome. In Venice, a few weeks ago, I had no feeling that the vivacity of its life was impaired by officious interference; yet gondoliers accept the correct fare graciously and without a grumble, hotels keep strictly to the scheduled price, and steamboats come and go like clockwork at the right time. Across the country excellent motor roads have been constructed. Many of the railways have been electrified. Customs officials do their duty with despatch, and, in my limited experience, with courtesy. RESTORATION OF ORDER. All this, and much else like, this, has to be admitted. The people of Italy are inclined to attribute to the Fascist regime the restoration of order and outward seemliness and a certain measure of added efficiency in the public services and also in private industry. But this is not to say that they are content, or that the regimentation which has been applied to produce these results is justified in their eyes. No doubt, there are thousands of young Fascists who have been so innoculated from childhood in Fascist ideas and so puffed up with pride when they are given a little responsibility in the organisation, and so emotionally elated by the marching and the music and the martial furore of mass-manufac-tured patriotism that they will not hear a word against the system or doubt anything that is said about the triumph in Ethiopia or the machinations of Italy’s enemies in Spain. That production of youth sentiment has to be reckoned with. But there is another side to all this, even so far as the youth sentiment is concerned. In the town of Brindisi, on a Sunday which was also a patriotic fete day, 1 saw a great display of martial enterprise. I saw a large party of marines march past and a larger party of soldiers in tin hats and full equipment lining up. There were also squads of little boys of 12 years old carrying baby. rifles ; and . little girls, neat little girls, stepping out as best £hey could to the word of command. But here was a point which I could not fail to notice. A relentless June sun was. pouring its heat down almost vertically on the streets. The soldiers, in tin hats and full equipment, were drawn up, not on the vacant, shaded side of the road, but in the full glare of the sun, and kept standing there for an hour or two. The men, many of them young recruits, stood listless, drooping, miserable, uhmilitary looking objects. LACK OF CONSIDERATION. Anyone who has done military service knows that a first duty in an army is that officers should take thought for the well-being of their men. Here was a signal example of indifference to the comfort of the rank and file. I had opportunities of talking to Italians who on the whole were favourable to the regime, and in first conversations spoke to me, an Englishman, as it they were convinced that all was going well with Italy; but who, in later conversations, speaking more intimately, confessed that they were appalled by the financial situation, and that discontent was growing on all sides at taxation and the cost of living. I have talked with others who were vehemently and frankly opposed to the Imperialist policy which their country is adopting, who regret Ethiopia, deplore the Spanish adventure, are disgusted with the flambuoyant tone adopted in official pronouncements, and most of all are disturbed by the methods used to captivate the thought of the very young. One loading Italian industrialist went so far as to assure me that few of the people of his class believe what they read in the Italian newspapers, or are ignorant of foreign criticism, or share the official view in its declared reaction to such criticism. I was told by more than one shrewd Italian that a vast majority of their countrymen over the age of 35 are profoundly discontented with the foreign policy of the_ country and distressed by much in its domestic policy. Italy is outwardly totalitarian; hut within, it seems, is decidedly various.