The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the west Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 17. 1921. MUSSOLINT. THE .MAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the west Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 17. 1921. MUSSOLINT. THE .MAN.

i N tile < I. < f a ... eehil alii, 'e I:.V Mr I. ivai Fra cr. the in ii-km-wn corlcspondeiit in ill.- I. union “Daily Mail there ale si.me int.-resting lints revealed a lion t Mtisoilini. the dnniinant iha’a.l ( r in Italy to-day the man in la l who has sail'd Italy Iroin itsell. Mi I-'iai.k writ -s: What mar.ner of man is the |)i tutor who has achieved on: h nninlt; ami ic'iased a nat:nii <>, .n t\ million | en| |e Imm Ihe ty ra nny i I the lt"d.. I was rec iieil by Mussolini in the stately ( :igi I’ala.e at IJ.inie. where Ihe Foreign (111 i.■ •• is linnsed. I have .seen m-.isl of the s late mien and politicians of mu time, and know no other man ailing them who has made upon me an . tn:d impression ol I’Oin enlra tc ,1 stienglh and resolution. He has flint din-, tnc.vs n, thought and ~| er -Ii wholi only men endr.vn I villi e! liients of gleatm ss Ill'll posse lie spoke ipiietly and tersely aid u :■> imtiietvbly .sparing o| gestr c. II ; conversation i.n.tained no dramatic l:.ni-hi-s no straining idler eil'e t, l.nt "as «.-b----vi.• nsly imbued uitli a deep sin. elite id i slivietinii. Ilis Ex elleiicy s; r-.iks French llin-ill ly. lint I "as *ur| risetl t.o find that lie i.s aLo ac.-|tiiiing an extensive knowledge of English, which lie iieil understands when spi ken to him. and uses to smile extent in his is marks, though he pred-rs to make lengthy statements in French. His (piiet dignity of be.i ring is imi-t impressive and contrasts favourably uitli the hoister.ms vulgarity alfe ted by some of onr Labour politicians in the (belief tliat.it makes tin ill popular with the crowd. On;, felt as he spoke that here mis i.o adventnier. no ambitions

seeker :i!t<-r power for its own sake, lull :i limn win. h:ul simply (onserratcd himself body jilid soul ami .spirit to the salvation of liis beloved country, lie is tin- mast:: of majestic Homo ami oi all tlm uomliuus cities of Italy: liis word is law in all that looming region one* traverses on the way to the (apita!. and yet he draws a salary which does not represent mere than fc 10(1 annually of our money. .Mussolini lives in a small, unpietentann tlat in a mii raw side street, though night and day mc.-t of his lime is ] assed at his ollii e desk. We have heard in England ol late ol more than me sham Cromwell, hut here in Home is a man who at least resemldes Ciomwell in his stern austerity of demeanoor and life, and in his iv.ii lute determination, to save his native laud from ruin, even though in de-iii;' so he limy have to break accepted (aiiventions. Vet I was struck again and again by his anxiety to a •- lo.mplish Ids purpo-e solely hy constitutional means so far as is possible. Toe moment Fascismo triumphed lie insisted upon the abandonment of iri ogiilar methods, whieh liad been temporarily ado] ted through sheer necessity. Why is it that .Mussolini lias been so persistently misrey.eseiited in many (pierters in (treat liritain? lie lands lor the very o-l jeits which the

nmjority id' Britons warmly approve. What has lie done? He has effected drastic reforms in the overgrown Civil Service, abolished superdluoiis depa:tments. and enforced lull iiours ol work aim no till functionaries, while compelling them to realise that they are the servants of the public, lie has set his face against all schemes ol nationalisation, which ho says produce a combination of inefficiency and extravagant working costs, lie proposes to hand back tlie nationalised railways of Italy to piivate enterprise and meanwhile he lias reduced their overgrown working stalls hv dis barging ott.UOO men and telling them to seek employment elsewhere. My mission to Home was to inquire whether MussMini's position has keen shaken. My conclusion is that he remains secure and that the Italian nation desires him to continue the great work lie has begun. Many of the biggest and ablest men in Italy are his staunch supporters, lfe is steadily transforming Fascismo into a purely constitutional movement. It remains to point out that the welfare and success of Mussolini has teased to he solely an Italian issue. The problem he is attacking concerns all Europe and in a special degree they affect Great Britain. When Mussolini founded Fascismo he was thinking of Ita.lv alone. Even now lie does not fully realise, nor do his countrymen realise, that in the eyes of every European nation he symbolises the groat conflict against the malignant forces which are rrvjpg tq shatter Western, rjvjljsation

and to products anarchy throughout the Old ’World. To other ccuiitiie.s men of weaker fibre have talked fcekly about sweeping hack the advancing wave of Communism and Socialism, but they have done nothing. Here is Home .sits this quiet. resolute, .’arable man who has actually done what others merely talked of. and in doing so he has given Italy a new era. He stands for discipline. order, obedience, and hard work for ail. I wonder whether either Italians or V.i items understand that if bv any mis-ilian e Mussolini were to ho overthrown now. the effect of his defeat would shake the whole of Europe and bring chans and destruction [civ] 1 iMy nearer. AVe in Croat Britain have the deepest and most direct interest in hi-. Welfare, lie has waged and won a

„tniggle which every Western nation may have to face sooner or later. Xouher;l is that struggle more imminent than ill stlike-ridden, Seuialist-fetti-red. pauperised, and tax-hied Britain. Our way of settling it will 1 rohnbly he far milder than the methods adopted by Mussolini in Italy, and that is tbe opinion lie holds about us. Hut '-e ought to watch his progress closely, to take the deepest interest in his career, and to wish him continued success m his conflict with the deslru tive agencies which the older politiia-l 1 urties in Italy, as in Hritain, were too weak t > overthrow.