"FASCISMO."

Northern Advocate, 5 June 1924, Page 7

"FASCISMO."

WHAT IT EXPRESSES. MUKNOLLXI ITS CREATOR. THE CHANT4E OVER ALL ITALY. A[r George Mauzi Fe, managing director of the British Italian Banking Corporation in London, when addressing shareholders in that institution at their recent annual meeting, outlined what '' Fasfismo" had accomplished in Italy. He also sketched the character of the originator of 'the movement, Signor Mussolini, a soil of the Romagna, a man of humble birth, labourer, school teacher. Socialist lecturer, journalist. and soldie.' in the trenches. His attitude towards the war, indeed, caused his break with the. Socialist Patty, becauv' that party oppose;! Italy's participation in the war. Mussolini endorsed that policy in a practical way by fighting as a private soldier, and he was seriously wounded in hat-tie. It was while on active service and subsequently when in hospital under treatment for his war wounds, that the evolution of, his political thought matured, and he became aware of the f'alko ie* and shortcomings of doctrines he had cherished up to that time. Active service followed by long days full of pain in a military •hospital had wrought a change in Mussolini. "He realise.!.'' said Mr Fe. "thai the violent materialistic teachings of Socialism, as v. ell as excessive, individualism. would fatally lead to disintegration of everything sacred, the destruction of all moral values, and the abolition even of military discipline, and, with it. the negation of patriotism. Wlien. after the Armistice, ih mo-socaiistic tendencies increasinglv permeated public life, earryin.g in their I rail the complete subservience the State to every demagogic speculation, the corruption of Parliamentary customs by undignified compromises, t!u> didiberale destruction of Capital, and, on the other >ide, the vulgar e.xtrava-' gance and ostentation displayed by the new-rich became a. provocation to the war-vt ricken, it dawned on him

that nothing out a return to loftv ideals, to the highest conception ei: State authority, to stem civic discipline and self-sacrifice to strenuous work and thrift could save the nation from complete moral and economic dis--1 uption. PLAYING A LONE HAND. "He set out, first alone, by word ef mouth and in his writings, to arouse public opinion, and gradually formed around him a nucleus of deliberate followers, all of whom fought in the war. This nucleus grew rapidly into the 'Fascista' organisation. The rapidity of the process shows that this line of thought was already deeply rooted in

the public conscience; dissatisfaction and disgust were rampant all over the country, originated by the many moral disappointments -which public opinion had suffered in its expectations from the magnificent effort and sacrifice or tlie war. for winch disappointments the weakness of the successive Governments was held responsible. "Fascismo' sprang, therefore, spontaneously into existence, not as a political party but rather as a kind of gospel. To it rallied men of every calling of life, from the humblest workman to the bourgeois and the aristocrat, without distinction. A striking fact was the rallying, en masse, of Socialistic organisations to 'Fascismo,' in spite of its declared hostility to the methods of extreme Socialism, the failure of which was so lamentably evidenced in 1920 by the seizure of factories and the attempt to run them 011 Bolshevik principles. MEMORABLE MARCH ON ROME. "In order to achieve its final object of sweeping away the then existing state of things and the corrupted section of the body national with as little violence as possible, this organisation had to be armed, notwithstanding that it had little to fear from the amy and navy, which, although purposely left alone, were sympathetic. This rendered possible the memorable march on Rome, which brought- down the Government of the time without bloodshed, the King having refused to sanction the proclamation of martial law. Mussolini's first act was to place himself

ami his organisation at the orders of the King, wlio called upon him to form his Government. His second act was to obtain from a. moribund Parliament ?i ' grant, of full powers. The procedure 'j acquired thus a constitutional aspect, i His political conception appears to be highly idiealistic, at the same time truly realistic. The authority and dignity of the State, the prestige of the

j nation, its spiritual and economic welfare, he plnces above party strife. Not forgetful of his past, he considers the advancement and well-being of the working classes, .coupled, however, with the formation and protection of Capital, as the essential foundation of a modern State, and that it is a function of the State to enforce peaceful and equitable co-ordination of their reI ciprocal rights and duties, opposing a j firm hand to any attempt of violence j on either side, and, finally, that it is | not. the business of the State to carry j 011 industrial undertakings of any j kind." j MUSSOLINI'S PRINCIPLES. ' | Mr Fe confessed his difficulty in dei fining the regime of Mussolini in a few ; words without appearing contradicj tory. It is in reality, he said, a comj bination of principles. Strongly nationalistic, in no aggressive sense, however, though undoubtedly autocratic in method. It is decidedly democratic in its ultimate objects, and yet individualistic and capitalistic, not for the sake of

j Capital as such, but for its functions, las tho indispensable auxiliary of j Labour, initiatives of Avhich, in the shape of co-operative syndicates, he encourages with every assistance.

From an educational point of view. Mussolini strongly deprecates the relaxation of religious teaching and practices, and accordingly introduces -reforms in this direction. Another moral principle for which he stands is the sanctity of the bonds of family as the cradle of patriotism and national unity. The aboliti on of all death and succession duties within the family circle, which his Finance Minister has introduced, is intended for the strengthening of these bonds, as wel.' as for the encouragement of thrift. In international relat : ons he represents the dignity and honour of his country, and supports mutual respect between great and small Powers. Although his action on a recent occasion was open to criticism as unnecessarily violent his policy appears sincerely directed to the attainment of real peace, which is so much wanted. He is guided by the idea fchat Italy would expect nothing from outside and that she should ask for nothing but respect until she has made her greatest effort to put her house in order. As his programme w;is developed in his speeches and those of his eminent technical collaborators, and especially was finding expression in the actions anil legislation of his Government, the consensus of opinion lierame gradually general. The achievements of this remarkable ruler's administration in less than fifteen months of plenary powers are astonishing, remarked Mr Fe, more especially in matters which count from the economic and financial point of view.