Italy is celebrating the seventh anniversary of the founding of
the Fasci from whom Fascism° has developed into one of the important movements of the world. In some respects we can .add our congratulations to those which the Fascisti and their Duce are heaping on them7. selves. Seven years.ego Italy did seem to be " swimming down-stream and cutting her throat," and to need the drastic measures that Fascism° applied. Materially Italy has gained. Religion is better respected. On, the whole there is more orderliness though it is enforced less by justice and law than by a violence that is not orderly in its essence. Italy is working and has shown a sense of responsibility to creditors abroad. This is all to the good. It is also perhaps a good lesson for the world to see that the successful Socialist has a complete contempt for liberty and all democratic ideals. Unfortunately he has not shown the greatest quality of a dictator, a willing- ness to prepare to lay down his power. He has taken the place of the Constitution, and there is nothing that we can see to take his place. We as journalists naturally deplore the extinction of a free Press and the enslavement of liberty of .opinion. The Duce does not know what fear is ; if he did, would he not tremble at the words of Tacitus, punitis ingeniis gliscit auctoritas ? Milton quoted Bacon's translation, " The punishing of wits enhaunces their autority." Is there no Italian to compose an Arehopagitica to-day ?
* * * *
Previous page
