Controversy

The Times, London's leading newspaper, wrote a leader (editorial) scoring Premier Benito Mussolini's policy.

When the Premier heard of it he sent a telegram to the editor asking him to rectify some of the misstatements. Telegraphed he:

"It is not true that patriots are discontented. On the contrary, the truth is the Opposition is carried on by a small, dispossessed group, while the enormous majority of Italian people works and lives quietly. Please note also Fascism counts 3,000,000 adherents, whereof 2,000,000 are Syndicalist workmen and peasants, thus representing a politically organized majority of the nation. Even the Italian Opposition now recognizes the great historical importance of Fascist experiment which has to be firmly continued in order not to fail in its task of morally and materially elevating the Italian people and also in the interest of European civilization."

In a leader entitled "Signer Mussolini's Apology," The Times did some "rectifying" in its own, sweet way. It began by asking what right 3,000,000 Fascisti had to claim that they represented a politically organized nation of 40,000,000 people. "If, as Mussolini says," the newspaper continued, "the discontented are but a small group, why is it necessary to gag the press, forbid free speech, forbid public meetings and arm the executive with arbitrary and irresponsible powers? We believe Mussolini sincerely and earnestly desires the welfare of Italy. We are convinced this policy is not in the long run the way to promote it."

In Rome, il duce Mussolini fumed.