Mr. Bernard:Shaw has often been in hot water, and, of
course, likes_ it, but he has not often been in such hot water as now. Recently he reproved the Daily News for a normal Liberal criticism of Signor Mussolini. Mr. Shaw's point is that, although the Fascist revolution, like all other revolutions, has been a "filthy business," full of horrors, Signor Mussolini knows how to govern and incidentally, has conferred upon Italy benefits which all the Communists and Socialists Were quite incapable of conferring. If they were able to govern, why did they not do it ? Therefore, in Mr. Shaw's opinion, it is silly beyond words to go on denouncing the man who has done something. He must be accepted as an "accomplished fact "—until his critics can -give Italy better government instead of useless invective. Dr. Friedrich Adler, Professor Salvemini and others have descended upon Mr. Shaw with horrified reproaches. What we note, however, is that when rebukes are heaped upon Mr. Shaw, he earns more than ever in his next letter. He becomes exasperated by his friends. The worst of it is that he writes so much about the humbug of his friends that he makes a present of much too good a case to Signor Mussolini, who is having it printed in all the Italian newspapers—with the awkward things which Mr. Shaw incidentally said cut out.
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