FASCISTS THREATEN LIFE OF AMERICAN BOOK PUBLISHER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 4 January 1930, Page 11

FASCISTS THREATEN LIFE OF AMERICAN BOOK PUBLISHER.

British Detectives Guard Mr G. P. Putnam From V engeance

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright,

' Received January 4, 3 p.m.)

LONDON. January 3. Mr C. P. Putnam, head of Putnam’s Publishing House m London and New York, was guarded by detectives when embarking on the Berengaria for New York,■ as the outcome of a series of threats purporting to come from Fascists in Paris to the effect that his life would be endangered if he continued, to publish Signor Francesco Nitti’s story of his escape from a Fascist prison island. One communication was signed “The Fascists of Paris,” and declared that the organisation had already warned New York Fascists, who, despite the whole police force, would blow up his publishing establishment. “Cunning Fascist vengeance will find you out wherever you hide,” the message concluded.

Signor Francesco S’itti, an ex-P* mier of Italy, has strongly denounced Signor Mussolini. Fascism and all its works. Signor Nitti was born in July, 1868. in Melfi, Southern Italy. Having studied mathematics and finance, he became a lecture at Milan University. He first attracted attention by his book. “ Italy at the Opening of the Twentieth Century.” and later embarked on political journalism. In 1904 he entered the Chamber. He had been % Socialist until the assassination of King Humbert; he then became a Radical but later was an adherent of Signor Giolitti. in whose fourth Cabinet be held the portfolio of Trade and Agriculture. After the fall of the Orlando Ministry, after the war. Signor Nitti question and other matters. Signor which he took the portfolio of the In terior. His position was not weakened even when, after the Socialist vie tories at the # polls and during Italy's difficulties abroad over the Adriatic question and other matters Signor Tittoni, his Foreign Minister, resigned in December. 1919. It was not until May. 1920. that Signor Nitti fell. When, however. Signor Bonomi declined the Premiership, he came into office again for a month. But, in view of the financial . situation, his “cheap ’* r>otiey could not be maintained. and his resignation was due to the rise in bread prices. After that Signor Nitti wrote a good deal. His book. “Europe Without Peace” (1921), aroused great attention. In this heat-

tacked the Versailles Treaty and the policy adopted towards Germany. A second volume dealt with the “ Collapse of Europe and in a third, " The Tragedy of Europe and America” (1924). he maintained that Germany was not alone responsible for the war. This attitude brought him both praise and blame. In the former category was the award of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922. On the other hand, he was charged with having, in America in 1917, promised President Wilson to give special privileges to .American residents in countries on the Adriatic coast and to proclaim a republic in Italy. These and other charges were answered in a book by his son. Vicenzo Nitti, “ L’Opera' di Nitti/* issued in 1924. But the attacks on him continued. for he did not bow the knee to thj Fascist regime, but opposed it. The result was that he had to leave Italy and came .under. Mussolini's edict of 1926. He was removed from his post as a university professor, and in April, 1927. was deprived of his Italian citizenship on account of his repeated attacks on Fascism and on Italy’s Albanian policy. After leaving his native country, he settled in Paris. In London recently he continued his attacks on Fascist Italy during the No More War Conference. His writings tell of his escape from a Fascist prison island, and have exposed many unsavoury details of Fascist methods, e.specially in regard to their treatment oi political prisoners.