MUSSOLINI AND ITALY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17919, 25 October 1932, Page 7

MUSSOLINI AND ITALY

. WORK SINCE THE WAR EFFORTS TOWARDS PEACE The history of Italy since the world ywx was sketched by the Hon. Cav. Dott. G. Formichella, Consul for Italy, in an address to the Wadestown and highland Park-Men’s Society in Wellington. After having cleaved the country of Communists, he said, the Fascists inarched on Rome to complete their victory, and to give back to the love and faith of the nation the Eternal City. His Majesty the King, who during the years of the war, faithful to the traditions of his noble House, had spent his time among the combatants, gallantly defying any risk, and who therefore well knew the spirit of the new Italy which had sprung from the victory of Vittorio Veneto, by which lascismo was inspired, wisely refused to sign a decree placed before him by the Ministers of the time for the declaration of a state of siege; and, on the resignation of the Cabinet which followed such refusal, he entrusted Benito Mussolini, the creator and leader of Fascismo, with the formation of a new Cabinet and thp fortunes, of Italy. The new Government set immediately to work on the economic, social, and spiritual regeneration of Italy, and in this 10 years of power had achieved results which Italians had never been led to hQpe for by the previous Governments, ■who very likely considered them imposimg. ’ i ~ ■/“Whatever people may say, Signor Forimichella continued, “L aseismo is to-day the spirit of Italy, and Italy identifies herself with Fascismo. Fascismo is an Italian movement by Italians,.'’ and not an imported dectrinc. Fascismo is real democracy in the highest sense of the word, and the labor charter is there to prove it. It has no quarrel with other democracies; it only says that such democracies may suit other countries, whereas Fascismo suits Italy. “It is argued in certain quarters that Mussolinin is by nature and predilection a tyrant. Nothing is further from the -truth. He is a democrat of democrats, if the good of the people as a whole be the- criterion of true democracy, which we believe it is. “Mussolini’s only ambition, to which he is devoting his life, is the greatness and prosperty of Italy. All Italians are proud of him and are with him to the last in his great work of the redemption of our country. He has deserved well of both Italy and Europe, as he pacified" Italy 1 at a moment when Communism threatened to submerge Italy and to spread beyond her frontiers.

“Italy is one of the staunchest supporters of the League of Nations and its ideals,” continued Signor Formicheila. “As a contribution to the cause of peace and harmony, Italy has tied herself by no fewer than 35 treaties of conciliation and arbitration —that is, with almost every country with which we have diplomatic relations.”