ITALY EN FETE

Taranaki Daily News, 30 October 1935, Page 5

ITALY EN FETE

FASCISTS’ PARADING

ANNIVERSARY OF REGIME

SABBATH PROFANATION PROTEST FROM POPE PIUS RALLY TO THE DICTATOR By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rome, Oct. 28. In an atmosphere of fervid devotion, stimulated by patriotic speeches and music, the anniversary of the Fascist march on Rome was celebrated by the populace attired in black shirts and gala clothing, while bands, flags and parades betokened that Italy was en fete. This necessitated a public holiday throughout the country, which had entailed the opening of the banks and shops the previous Sunday. This is unprecedented in Italian history, consequently the Pope, addressing the Council General of the Catholic Action Organisation, deplored the profanation of the Sabbath and emphasised that the Holy Scripture regarded thL as a great crime. A profaner of Sunday would once have been regarded as a man 1 who denied God, but now such a denial was made openly, amounting almost to a proclamation of public atheism. Such profanation was one of the sins which most provoked the Divine wratn. The celebrations were impressively launched by the mounting of a guard from dawn to midnight in honour of the Fascist victims of the revolution. Signor Mussolini was cheered to the echo when he declaimed from the'Palazzo Venezia: “We begin our fourteenth year with the same courage as the preceding one.” He observed the tradition by devoting the remainder of the day to the inauguration of important public works and subsequently attended the enrolment of his youngest children, Raae, aged 7, and Anna Maria, aged 6, in the “Children of the Wolf” branch of the Ballilla League. The/Fascist demonstration on the anniversary of the march on Rome Is certain proof of the people’s whole-heart-ed support of Signor Mussolini, says the Rome correspondent of the Times. “It would be absurd,” says the correspondent, “to suppose that the political situation is not causing anxiety to all thinking Italians, while many view the Abyssinian campaign with tepid enthusiasm. But undeniably the gathering storm clouds over Europe, far from increasing criticism, have had precisely the opposite effect. “The opponents of Fascism as a system of government are now rallying to the Government as the firmest supporters, which is very significant since the knowledge is spreading that the application of sanctions will cause serious hardships and grave sacrifices. Nevertheless Italy will grit its teeth and resist to the utmost without despairing for the future.” Messages from Eritrea show that the troops were eager to celebrate the anniversary of the Fascist march on Rome with a general assault, but were consoled with a. special ration of wine and mandarins and a double issue of cigarettes. They sang Fascist anthems, fired a feux de joie, lit bonfires at night and knotted patriotically decorated handkerchiefs round rifles and cannon. General de Bono telegraphed the armies’ greetings to Signor Mussolini. Mr. Jesus Afewerk, the Abyssinian Minister, in the midst of the Rome celebrations, quietly left Naples for Abyssinia.