“POLITICAL FRAUD”

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12613, 25 November 1926, Page 8

“POLITICAL FRAUD”

MUSSOLINI IS NO SUPERMAN COMMANDS PICTURESQUE PHRASES ENGLISHMAN’S CONCLUSION By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, November 23. Declaring that Fascism will collapse at the latest with the disappearance of its founder, Mr Renwick, the ‘•Daily Chronicle’s” special commissioner in Rome, proceeds to .dispel a general conception of Signor Mussolini. The wonderful picture conjured up of Mussolini dashing' from one Ministry to another, taking instant decisions on matters of vital national concern, giving orders for wonderful

new measures, seeing ambassadors, reviewing Fascists, riding in the early morning, and rushing off somewhere at night, is, he says, nothing but picturesque propaganda.

"Mussolini in reality is rather lazy. He has spurts of activity, but there is little evidence that they are really effective. The noise about his six portfolios is a ridiculous business. The truth is that he has only at call a gang of sixth-raters trained to tyranny and nothing else. He cannot trust them.

Mussolini has a command of picturesque phrases, but they are beginning to pall. Italy has been looking for deeds, and has been disappointed. "ONE-MAN SHOW"

"When this ridiculous ‘one-man show* crashes, as it must,” adds Mr Renwick, "when the biggest political fraud ever perpetrated on a nation is ended, when the bluff is called, there certainly will be serious trouble. The cost of living is still most expensive, and white bread has recently disappeared. Graft goes on, taxation :s heavy, and there are 500,000 unemployed. Petty tyranny is constant, yet Fascism must not be criticised. "In such a state is the country that when Fascism falls it will be difficult to find a man willing to own he was ever a ‘Black Shirt.’ Meanwhile, telegramj from Paris suggest that there are active dangers from the international policy of Fascism, particularly in connection with military preparations on the Franco-Italian frontier.”