MUSSOLINI THE MAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 18 December 1925, Page 9

MUSSOLINI THE MAN.

SPIRIT OF FASCISM. ; (i UNITY .BY AUTHORITY. There -has been so much said against Mussolini as the dictator of Italy that the opposite view of the > man should be of general interest. And this is how Mr Harold. Begbie sees tho Italian Socialist and statesman:— Mussolini’s achievement, separated from some of the 'methods of some of his followers, swems to me incomparably, the greatest of modern statesmanship. He has destroyed cynicism in a highly civilised. State, and kindled t)ie flame of idealism in an ancient people. Any mohtebank can climb to. power in a, half-educated democracy by .promising the people cake and ale in the shapd of higher wages' and shorten hours. But to inspire a nation of 40,000,000 with an impassioned enthusiasm for discipline, sacrifice and utmost hard work, this demands certain spiritual qualities of which the agitator has no knowledge, and with which even the best of our statesmen appear to be only increduously acquainted. As a little boy, Benito Mussolini, born in 1883, was irked by a feeling that many operations surrounding his village life were badly done. He was conscious of an; instinctive aversion from inefficiency and incompetence, and of a conviction that he could Mo a great many things in life better„than. he saw them dlone. No premonitions' visited his mind. He heard his father, who was a blacksmith, speaking or Socialism as an event of the future, and he grew up in the faith that" one day all men would be Socialists. But his main concern - was. 1 with i scholarship. He loved books with theJ zest, which is the secret. of energ* His mother, whom lie adored, whose memory he rev.crcnc.es, told that one day he would be a <man, prophesying an hour when he would. achieve groat ah Italian patriot. ’ He did nob belipye her, ho tells me, and not certainly cowet the fame. His youth-time was by the ambition to be a <“You take me by surprise,” to him when we first met. “I something , of, a monster. to be more of a poet.’’ “That, too, may be answered with a boyish smile. I play my vieflin; but once poetry.’.’. ’ Ho believed id his mother’s for the first trine when he platform of Socialism. ’. ■ jEtfs was instant 'hud tremendous. wanted a better; wprld, and he. earnestly that ' -So&ialsrn would .cfeiaM it. Never im his "fife has : he' acte™ a part. Newer has he spoken VittM his tongue in his cheek. Never;'jhas * he used the -Bufferings of the poor to push his fortunes or to. lino his pocket. At the fiercest time of ; his Socialism he was an honest man, mean of all pretence s free from all dishonouring hypocrisies. Sincerity <to'ld, He rose to leadership among «'lt&lian' Socialists, and was hailed by tnfe International as a new force. 'tjiWi War came to- Europe, he saw instantly that if civilisation were to-'be- saved Italy must fight. , The brethren, of .universal brotherhood howled ? miii--down, crying: “Kill him! Kill him!” preachers and, prophets of, millennium expelled him from tlieif;» fr} Ho disappeared# of •Itaimn reappeared as an. Italian sbldier. jjr; . His courage told ’in that-, hour. He fought like a lion, wherever he fought men were to fight like him. Ho made ships which changed his life. to be a corporal, and went till he fell wounded in a hu of the body by bursting less to the army, apparenly the world, he was sent Mussolini was not to. gutters singing doleful in.his hand. Up' saw .a vision on which ''camqirto him as conversion \ It was national' cheerfully rifumphantly going out to Unquestionably accepting true glory of life- Ho. find middle ago complaininj^^^^^^^^B venience, and old age dread of ruin. In order should be saved from rbin, ho formed a legion or had fought in the war, man take his sacred oath. name of God and Italy, m of those who have died for the glory of Italy. I swear that Ij^H sc era to myself, entirely and forei^^H live for the good of Italy.. What most strikes me in this no-cous and high-minded man, ap* fi-om liis charming naturalness and conflJß plcte freedom from Napoleomsms, is* Jiis extraordinary composure. One feels that lie is profoundly aware of a power in himself which is intended for the salvation of the people.. The broad forehead, the powerful chin the curious brightness of his penetrating dark eyes, do-hot seem to me to express his spirit so intimately as the mouth, which is both beautiful and

When he speaks, huskily, and with great rapidity, the lips are tense with energy, but when he snnlcs it is as onlv the boy who loves his violin, his poetry, ani the graciousncss of I ’l-Je is at the head of four Ministries, lie, works 14 hours a day, and he looks thin, pale and tired out: yet when. ho speaks of the work winch the spmt of Fascism is destined to do . amon . the nations of the earth, restoring the high places of civilisation, and giving to democracy a new spiritual ideal his face lights up, his eyes shine, and the voice rings with youthfulnoss On the central table in Ins room lies a full-sized model of the Daces carried In- the emperors and consuls of • undent Romo—an kj«*. surrounded hi ■ ( ose-banded rods. He hud us hand upon it, and said: “A svmbol! L mt> bv means of authority. -