Thoughtfully curated historical journalism
LONDON—Hurried examination of the text of the soviet-Japanese treaty, received in London Monday night, reveals a number of new features.
It is disclosed for the first time that the soviet recognizes private ownership and freedom of commerce on the part of Japanese subjects, while Japan grants equal rights to soviet subjects.
Rome, Mar. 22 (By A. P.)—The sixth birthday of Fascism was celebrated today by a monster mass meeting and a parade of more than 20,000 black shirts through the Corso Umberto. But the great moment of the day came when Premier Mussolini, making his first public appearance since the beginning of his illness, emerged on the balcony of Chigi Palace and addressed a wildly enthusiastic crowd of 30.000.
Significant in the premier’s short talk was the phrase:
“What I want to say to you is that it is spring now, and now the fun begins.”
Protest Move Is Gaining Momentum in Switzerland
Trader Special Service.
ZURICH—Large circles of the Swiss people are watching with rising indignation the attempt of private Fascist organizations closely allied to Mussolini’s bands to start a movement for the annexation of the Swiss canton of Tessin (Ticino) to Italy.
Although Mussolini has himself given his word to respect the sovereignty and integrity of Switzerland, unofficial Italian Fascist organizations in Tessin want to annex this Swiss Canton. They declare it is the last of the three Capital Ts—Trieste, Trentino, Ticino—which must be “liberated.”
ROME —In spite of Fascist censorship, news of internal troubles leaks out of Italy and indicates that Dictator Mussolini looks into a dark future and prepares for it.
The Italian lira continues to lose in the race against the British pound and the American dollar. Unemployment is on the increase at an alarming rate, and nothing is being done to take care of the jobless.
The Italian middle class, after trusting to Mussolini’s loud prophecies of victory in “the battle of the lira,” is beginning to understand that Mussolini’s victory means a loss of its own savings. And no Fascist button on the lapel of the middle class coat can reconcile the loser.
“Fascism in Action”, the first full-length analysis of fascism written by a government agency, has sold 36,790 copies at 40 cents each. Rep. Wright Patman (D., Texas) told the congress February 21. Declaring that the “tyranny of the Right can be as dangerous as the tyranny of the Left,” Patman has introduced a resolution to allow free distribution of 100,000 copies of the booklet. More than 600,000 copies of another booklet, “Communism in Action” have been distributed without charge at a cost to the government of nearly $35,000, he said.
In a speech urging the congress to approve his resolution, Patman declared that while he was “opposed to communism in any form” and believed it “should be fought with every means at our command,” he also believed that the dangers of fascism should not be overlooked.
Turin, Italy.—Employers in this vicinity object to Mussolini’s rule that they must apply to the Fascisti labor bureaus when seeking workers.
Mussolini orders that members of the Fascist party and Fascist unions be given preference in employment. This rule is intended to drive workers into the Fascist unions.
A. F. of L. Head Calls on Workers to Actively Fight Fascism as Menace to Democracy and Organized Labor.
Washington, D. C. (ILNS)—Fascist activity in local unions of the dressmaking industry in New York city was scored by President William Green, of the American Federation of Labor, in vigorously denouncing Fascist propaganda in the trade union movement.
“The American Federation of Labor,” Mr. Green said, “regards Fascism and the Fascist philosophy as equally menacing and dangerous to the maintenance of democracy and democratic institutions as communism. Both Fascism and communism rest upon the basis of dictatorship. For this reason the American Federation of Labor is concerned over the activities of Fascist representatives in New York and elsewhere.
The progress of Fascismo toward a veritable religion was illustrated some months ago when Mussolini wrote in the preface of the published resolutions of the Grand Council of Facismo that this is “the book of our faith;” the “infallible compass of their every activity.” Facismo, he declares, “has buried forever” the old liberal democratic regime and erected the glorious edifice of Facismo in its stead.
The fasces of the lictor, the party symbol of the Fascisti, has been placed on the national flag beside the royal arms, as it has for months stood over government buildings. So sacred is Facismo that an Italian who speaks disrespectfully of it even in a foreign country is liable to severe punishment if he falls into the clutches of the supporters of Mussolini. Some weeks ago an Italian who had spoken against Fascism in America was, on returning to Italy, sentenced to twelve years and a half imprisonment, with three years special police supervision afterwards.
The autocracy of Mussolini moves along unimpeded on the enthusiastic support of the Italian masses. The women, who were given the vote in municipal elections some months ago, find the right amounting to nothing, as the local governments for which they were to vote are now appointed by Mussolini.
The abolition of popular elections has raised the question of providing properly trained administrators for the dictatorship. Fascist intellectuals propose a special training school for a governmental aristocracy, to which youths shall be sent who have been adjudged by the Duce from among candidates-suggested by the officers of the Fascist militia to be of proper character to exercise authority as he may see fit to permit to others besides himself. By this method of “investure from above” it is hoped to make eternal the blessing of a people’s forgetting to govern itself. These future masters of the state are to be instructed in “the analysis of political phenomena, the science of organization, and Roman and Italian history with special attention to the dictatorial periods,” and are to be tried in minor administrative posts.