REAL MUSSOLINI

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 September 1940, Page 9

REAL MUSSOLINI

FACTION LEADER OF WORST TYPE. AN INCRIMINATING STORY. The distinction between Mussolini and the Italian people ought always tc be borne in mind (writes Mr Wickham Steed, former editor of the London "Times”). He is not a typical Italian. He is'a Romagnolo, a native of the anarchical province of Romagna, in north-east Italy, which, for nearly a thousand years, was perturbed by faction. fights under faction leaders. Mussolini is a faction leader of the worst type. Let me explain.

In 1922, before the "March on Rome," Mussolini had been carrying on a villainous campaign against the Car-dinal-Archbishop of Milan, whom he had atttacked with vile abuse daily' in the "Popolo d’ltalia.” The Cardinal's organ had replied vigorously. Then, one day, Mussolini had sent for the assistant editor of the "Popolo d’ltalia," had shown him a neat little package, and had asked him to address it in his clear handwriting to the CardinalArchbishop. Mussolini explained that his own handwriting was almost illegible—which it is. When the package was addressed, Mussolini blotted the ink with a clean piece of blotting paper and instructed the assistant editor to have it sent to the Archbishop’s palace by a public messenger. "I have had enough of this row with the Archbishop,” Mussolini added, “so I bought him a little present as a peace-offer-ing-”

Two hours later a sensation was caused by the announcement that the Cardinal-Archbishop’s secretary had opened a package addressed to the Cardinal and had found in it a live bomb, which he had thrown out of the window. It had exploded in the courtyard, doing some damage, but fortunately injuring nobody. The police had traced the public messenger, who, however, could not say who had given him the package. Thereupon, Mussolini's assistant editor rushing into Mussolini's room, exclaiming: "Was that your present to the Archbishop?” Mussolini opened a drawer, took out the clean piece of blotting paper, held it up, and answered, "Is that your handwriting? Shut up." Horrified, the assistant editor bolted from the office, but Mussolini managed to get the scandal hushed up.

In later years I verified this story in a quarter which knew all the details. It was confirmed in every particular.