The Manchester Guardian has published extracts from Signor Mussolini's Bill
for the control of Italian subjects in the employment of foreign institutions. This Bill has caused much concern at the headquarters of the League of Nations, for it provides that no Italian can be employed by the League without the consent of his Government and that the consent can be revoked at any time without any reason being given. Heavy penalties are to bo inflicted on anyone who neglects to obtain consent or who ignores revocation of it. The members of the staff of the League have always regarded themselves as rendering primarily international, not national, service ; and this fact is implied by the method of their appointment which comes from the Secretary- General of. the League with the approval of the Council. If the Bill is passed it will make every Italian an Italian agent first and an employee of the League second. The League is affected only incidentally, for the Bill applies to Italians engaged in any foreign institutions whatever. Even teachers, it appears, will have to obtain the consent Of the Italian Government ; and • the creators of the Corporative State will only be behaving logically if they withhold consent from any teacher of whose political opinions they disapprove.