DOWNFALL OF FASCISM

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 94, 30 July 1943, Page 4

DOWNFALL OF FASCISM

TO-DAY'S communiques contain details of the pronouncement of the new Italian Government, which give complete outlawry to Fascism, the doctrine expoused -by Mussolini when he first seized power and which he and his followers extended and abused until it reached and governed the very soul of the kingdom. For twenty years with its burden and its brutality gradually increasing and expanding Fascism sought to regiment the people of Italy into a nation of unquestioning warriors who would follow II Duce to the death in his quest for the re-establishment of the powerful Roman Empire of old. To-day Fascism is no more ! Faded as the morning dew before the fast rising sun which dispells the mists of sleep and the hynotism of words and boastfulness, the yoke has been thrown off by the Italian people themselves and its founder from the dazzling position of absolute head of the nation, has faded into insignificance and apparent seclusion. Seldom has an eclipse taken place: in world history with such dramatic suddenness, and seldom have the peoples of a country shown such a wholehearted reversion of feeling. Up and down the Italian isthmus the people are with one accord rejoicing at the: overthrow of the tyrannical regime which they had grown to hate as much as they at one time had learnt to respect and to revere. Not even the invasion armies of the Allied countries, in occupation of Sicily can dampen the enthusiasm of the Italian populace whose sense of vast relief and new born freedom has found vent in widespread demonstrations and unrestrained joy. Fascism after enjoying a brief twenty years of life has like all other movements based on vainglory and dominance vanished from the face of the earth.