The Timaru Herald SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 1939 THE TEST OF SIGNOR MUSSOLINI'S SINCERITY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21244, 14 January 1939, Page 6

The Timaru Herald SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 1939 THE TEST OF SIGNOR MUSSOLINI'S SINCERITY.

Four years ago that great statesman ami soldier General Smuts, sounded a. note of warning that has not lost any of its significance as the years have gone on. In his Rectoral address at St. Andrews University, lie said: “The issue of freedom, the most fundamental issue of our civilisation, is once more squarely raised by what is happening in the world, and cannot be evaded. The danger signals are up in many colours and in many lands. If that were true in 1935, how much more timely is the warning to-day. The danger signals are indeed flying. None can mistake them. Even the arrogant aggressive leaders in totalitarian States are not blind to the plain fact that the world is passing through one of those great periods in history which are awe-inspiring in their consequences; indeed, whatever the ideology accepted by each nation, all recognise that stupendous and even hurricane forces are loose. Queerly enough, however, in a period which is witnessing the most colossal re arming the world has ever seen, the leaders of all States, without a single exception, persist in saying that they seek nothing but peace. Signor Mussolini in welcoming the British Ministers in Rome expressed appreciation of Mr Chamberlain’s tenacious quest of the solution of problems threatening the life of Europe, because “Italy always believed in peace founded on justice, towards which the policy of Fascist Italy was aimed.” The carefully thoughtout pronouncement of II Duce was no doubt designed to persuade the Italian nation that Italy stands at the head of the nations of the world as one of the champions of universal peace. Peace founded on justice, is of course one of the ideals of the British people, but the average citizen within the Commonwealth of British Nations will find it difficult to believe that a country that wages merciless war upon all forms of freedom, where the press is ruthlessly controlled, the individual is regimented and no one who dares think, worship or speak as he likes, would be safe for a single moment if his ideology conflicted with Fascism, could scarcely be trusted to translate fine words into deeds in the settlement of international problems. If then Signor Mussolini is sympathetically disposed towards British ideals, how does his regime measure up to this: “What is it that above all else, England has sought to bequeath to succeeding centuries? Not her armies, fleets, and aeroplanes, nor her victories on land, or sea, or in the air, not even her commercial experience or her industrial skill, but the art of selfgovernment by a free people. “It is our conception that while a well-ordered State must seek the greatest good of the greatest number, it protects the rights and liberties of majority and minority alike; it must guarantee to the humblest of its citizens, as to the greatest, full individual liberty and undoubted equality before the law.” How does the ideology of the totalitarian States measure up to this standard? Some weeks ago, Mr Chamberlain said that he was still waiting for a sign from those who speak for the German and Italian people, that they are prepared to contribute to peace. The world awaits, then, for Signor Mussolini to translate his oily words into deeds, designed to bring enduring peace to a distracted world. So far he has contributed nothing. Hence, to quote Mr Anthony Eden, the democracies of the 'world dare not ignore the sombre realities that confront them. “It is for us, the people of England,” Mr Eden insisted, “to see that this great heritage of liberty and temperance shall not perish from the earth.”