THE NEW TROUBLE HOUSE OF EUROPE
SOME future • Gibbon, tracing the decline and fall of our civilization, may declare that one of. the permanent institutions of Europe was " a trouble house" —a ruler whose special function was to set the nerves of men and nations on edge, a super-Socratic gad-fly who prevented the world from falling into - torpor. Napoleon III. filled the part in the 'fifties and 'sixties. His neighbours held their breath till his New Year speeches were past.' (Of one of these it was said " That very night the cannon began- to rumble out of Vienna.") In the 'nineties William II. assumed the role and indulged' in those short; sharp dangerous speeches, " which .fly abroad .like darts," to use Bacon's phrase,- The -trouble house. of the epoch on which we are now entering is apparently to be Signor Mussolini. He cannot receive a Fascist deputation or make a Colonial expedition, still less celebrate a Napoleonic year, without falling . into the Imperialistic manner.- In the past week- we have had a notable example.- He has been standing in shining armour and insisting that " the sword must be kept clean and bright." . Discarding vague talk about a place in the- sun, he bluntly declares, We are hungry for land;" and enforces this- with the reason,. " We are prolific and intend to remain so."
.• One of his Tripoli speeches ended with a prophetic declaration, for Signor Mussolini is never afraid of -being a prophet in his own cause : " There is no doubt that my journey is destined to have profound repercussions on• the spirit -of- the Italian people,- repercussions which will be beneficial, since • this is our indestructible will." But it must not be supposed that Signor Mussolini confines himself -eland hunger. When he-is on the sea he wants that too. In a glorious " Defiance " he warned the world that Italy's future was -on the sea—an actual Kaiser phrase--Land that -nobody -should prevent :her.
Finally, he protested against the wicked way in- which Italy had been deprived of her share when the -mandates - were given out. - She ought to have had -a Mediterranean= mandate since she—and here he spoke no less than' the, truth—is the- greatest of the Mediterranean Powers. Signor Mussolini's desire that his -words should have what he calls " profound repercussions " was fully accomplished.- The whole world jumped at his Tripoli speeches. The cannon " began to roll out of Constantinople " ; at least the Turkish Reserves were called up, the Greeks began . to snap the magazines of their rifles, and France and Spain to show signs of anxiety: . • - . . . ThOugh we are bound to-note the:part for which-Signor Mussolini appears to 'have deliberately cast himself, it , must not be supposed that the Spectator has _diverged - one hair's breadth from its . old friendliness, sympathy f- and admiration for Italy. We believe as firmly as Signor Mussolini believes' it himself' that her future is' to be " spiritual and heroic." The essential Italian character- istics are vigour and idealism, and 'Italy is now going through a process of " teurpering " which will ' immensely improve the- national metal.: Again, though we see many- things to criticize and- to regret deeply in Signor Mussolini, that does not blind, us , to the fact that he has done the State great service. However little we may like the means, he has achieved great things for the social as well as for the material welfare of Italy.
Fascism has cut out the canker of .particularism. I'urther, we are fully prepared to .admit that Signor . Mussolini's, barks are as a rule much worse than his bites. Though they seem so wild and unnecessary, they are by no means mere temperamental explosions. They are calculated to a nicety, and also calculated to do as little harm as possible. Nevertheless they are very dangerous. When matches are .being struck in a powder magazine there is little consolatiOn in hearing that the striker is so ingenious that there is very little risk of disaster !
And now for Italy's case. Her first complaint is that she did not have a mandate. Whether she is wise in making . the Dyer-spill of her population .a: ground for demanding a place of her own for her .emigrants is one which we do not .propose to discuss in detail.. In view of recent French and Spanish experiences, we should hold, were we Italians, that the immense strides which Italy has been making in commerce, manufactures, in the development of her water power, and, in financial stability were very -largely due to the fact that she did not receive a mandate, and so has not frittered her money away in the sands of Africa. Mandates are very apt to bring people like Abd-el-Krim and the Druses about one's ears, and what these luxuries can cost is a - horror to think of. On the other hand, Italy by sending her citizens into the United States, and the Argentine, Brazil, and the rest of South America, is in every sense " making good." They are hostages , of the best sort. The money they bring back and back is of immense value to her. As import- ant are the votes of those who become nationalized abroad. They give Italy a power which is soon felt at a crisis. For example, Italy's voice is far more potent than the voice of France at Washington, because there is so large an Italian • population in many of the. Eastern citiei: France has no corresponding asset. .
Still, this is a question that Italy must decide for herself. If she pines for the chance of collecting specimens of the Druse or. Riff order it is not for us to teach her her business. All that we have a, right to point out is that the proper way to get her demand recognized and satisfied is not -to. enter upon a Machiavellian policy of stirring up Greece against Turkey or fishing in other 'troubled waters. of that kind, but to- make her wishes known firmly but not ,provocatively. As friends of France and Italy, and of the- peace . of the world generally, we . should (if we may-for the moment speak in pacuo) like to see France hand her Syrian mandate to Italy. By doing that and concentrating upon North Africa, France would certainly benefit, but in present circumstances this, we fully recognize, is not practical politics. France has no states- man big enough or .bold or imaginative enough to make such an offer. And even if it were possible, we are bound to say that we should be exceedingly sorry to see Italy putting her hands into such a hornets' nest as Syria.
One thing more. We sympathize very strongly with Italy's demand that as a Mediterranean Power she should be consulted in .every settlement concerned with the Gateway of the Mediterranean. Is it too late to take the course the Spectator has often advocated, of convening a Mediterranean Conference—a Conference which would be. a kind . of. clearing house . for African discontents ? We still hold that there are possibilities there for useful rearrangements. But those possibilities will certainly never. turn Into realities while Signor Mussolini persists in playing the parr of the trouble house in Europe.
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