SIGNOR MUSSOLINI GROOMS HIS SUCCESSOR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 119, 5 June 1937, Page 11

SIGNOR MUSSOLINI GROOMS HIS SUCCESSOR

The Precious Gift of II Duce's Confidence Has Been Bestowed Upon Count Galeazzo Ciano, Who is Now in The Front Line of Italian Diplomacy

TN the' days of Francesco Crispi, Italian diplomacy, like that of all other countries, was represented by solemn, bearded and ponderous men, writes "Petrius," in Le Mois, Paris. But in this as in many other respects the Apennine Peninsula has undergone deep changes, for fascism is a marvellous shifter of men, Mussolini staked on youth and the Italy of tornorrow, whieh is the reason for the frequent reshuffling of his immediate entourage and of the ranks of the Italian diplomacy. But of all the young men wkose ascent has been quiek and brilliant in the past ten to twelve years, none- has had a eareer as rapid and spectacular as Count Galeazzo Ciano di Cortellazo, who in the short period of eleven years has worked his way into the very front line of Italian diplomacy, for after giving him his daughter, Edda, in 1930, Mussolini bestowed upon the young man the still more precious gift of his confidence. The fault-finders in Italy will tell you that the country has three rulers to-day: Mussolini, Edda and Galeazzo. If your interlocutor happens to be of a particularly caustic disposition he will add that it is difficult to say who heads the list. ... _ At any rate, this wisecraek is a striking illustration of the solidarty of Italians born and bred under different conditions within the Tanlcs of fascism: Mussolini, the self-made and practically self-tuaght man; Edda,' who made her bow to Roman society well after slie had passed the debutante age; Galeazzo Ciano, scion of an ancient patrician family. Ciano 's father, Admiral Costanzo Ciano, a gruff warrior and artful diplomat, was one of the first Italian aristocrats to answer the call of fascism; he was seen going in and out of tho Palazzo Torlonia in the first days of the regime and Mussolini, who appreeiates the loyalty and frankness of the admiral, made him President of the Senate. By hereditarv disposition, no doubt, young Galeazzo took iife as his pirate ancestors took the vessels in the Mediterranean: he seized it. No sooner had he finished his studies, than ho joined his distriet group of the Fascio and chose a profession whieh is apt to lead up to anything, provided it is dropped soon enough: he became a journalist. He worked for Tribuna, l'lmpero and a fcw other papers,/and wrote two stage-plays whieh were clamorous failures. But he acquired experience and sharpened his teeth and claws on it. . In 1925, f ollowing the advice of his father and natural inelination no doubt, Galeazzo , 1 Ciano einbarked upon the diplomatic eareer. . * Ho Was only twenty-.two then but was immcdiately, appointed attache to the Italian . Eipbagsy, first. at Bio de Janeiro, then at Buenos Aires. But Latin America is faT away, and it was a pity tp. let such. a brilliant subjeet stagnate there. jfe ;was reca-lled to Eomo and given the much coveted position of secretary of tho 1 italian Embassy at the Holy See, a nice job implyin'g mainly komework and giving its fortuhate oecupant plenty ' of leisure. Thus it happeped that Galeazzo became an assjduous frequenter of the fashionable Roman drawing-rooms, where his eharming manners soon made him extremely popular. His romance with Edda Mussolini goes baclc to those days. Dietator and admiral closed . the deal "q'uickly, both agre'ed that tliey could hardly do better than marry'the young people. To Mussolini • his 'sori-in-law was a typical representative of- the new Italian ruling class whieh he is

striving to build up, and the aristocratic admiral could give the new regime no better pledge of co-operation than his own offspring. The transaction was all the more successful as the young people were actually very much in lovo with each other, and are still referred to as a model couple. Mussolini 's wedding gift was the appointment of his son-in-law as Consul-General in Shanghai. This offered an opportunity for a most interesting wedding-trip. A year later he was envoy in Chiua and chairman of the League's Committee for the investigation of the Shanghai conflict. Then he headed the Itali:.n delegation at the Sino-Japanese conference , of Shanghai. He wound up his Far-Eastern eareer as Minister Plenipotentiaiy, having climbed all the steps of the ladder in three years. This rising sun needed European consecration and Mussolini sent him to London in 1933, as Italian delegate to the Economic Conference. Thus, gradually, in the course of a brief but varied eareer, Count Ciano was able to make contaet with world affairs, after whieh Mussolini began to initiate him into the mysteries of Italy 's internal machinery. He was appointed chief of the Government T?ress Bureau, and in September, 1934, became Under-Secretary of State for Press and Propag-nda. This ascent was interrupted by the Ethiopian campaign during whieh Galeazzo Ciano served in the air, force, as squadron-leader of the famous "Disjperata. ' ' It would indeed Te hard to imagino him figliting elsewliere than in the air.

But Fortune was kind to him there as she had been at the green table of diplomacy. On his return Ciano could indeed say of himself that he had passed all tests and he obtained the highest reward Mussolini could have bostowed upon him: the por-tfolio of Foreign Affairs, something that the Duco had jealously guarded for himself during most of the timo he had been in power, and rightly so, for his foreign policy is a very important part of his general programme for making Italy one of tho leading powers in the world. Various problems faced the young Secretary of State when he took cflice. Of course, Italy had won the Ethiopian war and proved that she was readv and able to support her Mediterranean argument with something more concrete than mere words. At the same time, however, it was necessary to stage a triumphal re-entry

on the European political arena. In Italy herself there was a certain feeling of disappointment over the Duce's foreign policy. There was a time during- the Ethiopian war when, amid the excitement of flag-waving and bandplaying, large -sections of the Italian people revelled in an orgy of anti-British feeling. But as the fevcr subsided, tho clear-cut logic of the Latin minti began to come into its own again. Men were once more thinking and saying openly that in the long run Italy could not live in antagonism to England, and that the cooperation and goodwill of both England and France were essential • even for the successful development of Ethiopia. As for Germany, the average Italian has • never been consumed with love for that country and its people, for he is afraid of German aggressiveness and of being involved in wars that do not affect his own vital interests. It was therefore imperative to sound the ground outside of Italy, and Galeazzo Ciano did not retire behind his deslc. -He immediately became ambassador-at-large of His Majesty, the King-Emperor, and started on his rounds of the Central European capitals first. There is every - reason to believe. that a trip to London via Paris is not too far "off. He was not, of course, entirely successful in tho discharge of his mission, especially in Hungary. To save the situation, Eegent - Horthy had to be accorded a royal welcome in Rome, and Mussolini exerted all his personal cliarm and even prcsscd the King rnto service. to pour balm on the Hungarian wounds, inflicted by Ciano. But it may be said in his defenee that even older and more experienced diplomats could hardly havo succeeded in reeonciling so mariy conflieting interests as those tearing Europe asunder at tlie present moment. Ciano does npt speak of his personal views. Once though, he remarked to a friend that Geneva was bent upon conservation, while youth was bent upon conquest, and that those who were content to sit with their hands in their • laps and let the League do what it will were not worthy of place in the sun. This declaration is, oi course, perfectly in keeping with the general "style" of the Ciano1 we are used to seeing in the newsreels. It would be unfair to say that this healthy and jovial young fellow lacks charm, whieh is further enhanced by the cairn and serenity • emanating from his energetic face and whieh only the certainty of suceess can give. But whether.we see a Ciano passing troops in review or taking the-faseist salute or addressing a crowd, we are involuntarily reminded of somebody else. By a peculiar phenomenon of mimicry he is developing an ever greatei- resemblance to his famous father-in-law. A propaganda-film , showing him in the exercise of his multiple and manifold functions really showed a radiant "and xejuvehated Duce. . . In spite of his authority and commanding appearance the youthful head x Italian diplomacy is biding his timo and is perfectly content to play second fiddle for the moment." Many people in and outside of Italy consider him the heir presumptive. But the Duce does not think of retiring; he still colitrols the levers of th8 machine, although in his heart he is undoubtedly content and proud of having by his side somebody he can model in his own image. It must be reassuring to him to feel that the great structure he has started to erect will not collapse for laclc of an architect and that, if ever his hand drops the torch, a younger biit no less firm hand will be there ready to pick it up.