A Monopolylogue

Benito Mussolini, "autocrat of all the Italians" has become so powerful that his shadow covers the whole of Italy. Last week: P: Premier Mussolini, according to a Paris report, narrowly escaped being assassinated on two occasions. The first was during a cabinet meeting in the Chigi Palace when a trooper of the Royal Guard fired at him. The second attempt was made on the outskirts of Rome. He was driving alone at night when another trooper fired at him and also missed. Benito, however, on this occasion, "whipped out his revolver and proved himself a better shot than his would-be assassin, whom he severely wounded." P: Premier Mussolini caused a good deal of comment by refusing to accept the only vacant collar of the Order of Annunziata, which confers upon the recipient the subtitle of cousin of the King. There are people who see in his refusal a direct snub to the House of Savoy; others attribute his action to nothing more or less than a desire to prove that the issue for which he is working is being carried out for Italy and is not dependent in any way upon a desire for decorations. The Premier recommended the King to award the Order --the oldest in Europe--to Senator Tittoni, President of the Senate. P: Premier Mussolini, recently interviewed, said: "I have had the pleasure of meeting many influential Americans ... to whom I have talked in an informal manner regarding subjects of interest to America and Italy. . . . The two main topics of these informal talks have been the immigration law and the Italian debt to America. Concerning the first subject I have expressed my hope that in the near future the United States will see fit to modify that law so that a larger number of Italians may be admitted. Concerning our debt to America Italy intends to pay every cent that she owes. . . . Italy expects great facilitations in the payments." P: Premier Mussolini, it is officially reported, is now giving consideration to the question of Italy's debt to the United States--$1,932,715,485, as at November 15, 1922. No official action has yet been undertaken by the Italian Government, but the question has already been a subject of private discussion between Washington and Rome. P: Premier Mussolini, in an order to Fascisti living in Austria, said: "The Fascisti must never, under any circumstances, interfere in the internal questions of foreign countries. The aim and object of all Fascisti must be to strengthen Italian unity, to demonstrate their discipline, to show the benefit of the Fascist moral ideals, not to mix in politics, but to aim to raise the moral standard of the Italian race abroad." P: Premier Mussolini is reported to have a little plan whereby 600,000 unnaturalized Italians in the United States will be permitted to vote in home elections. It was pointed out by the State Department that if Mussolini has such a scheme in mind, the United States Government could not interfere. Such a statement looks like a response to a diplomatic feeler, although it is denied that the question has ever been discussed in Washington. P: Premier Mussolini, in sending a congratulatory message to a syndicate of wine shops in Tivoli who decided to close all the establishments after midday on Sundays in order "to promote the fight against alcoholism in Italy," wrote: " Yours is an act of discipline, dignity and civic morality. The abuse of wine and liquors must no longer corrupt and degenerate the Italian race. I signify my warm sympathy while I declare the Government will keep in mind your step as a precursory movement toward a general order to this effect." No wonder the Philadelphia Public Ledger asks: "Is Italy, the second greatest wine-growing country in Europe, going dry?" P: Premier Mussolini, hearing that the Populist Party had passed resolutions unfavorable to the Fascista Government, ordered the four Populist members of the Cabinet to meet him at the Quirinal. Three of the Populists are considered certain to resign, and in such an eventuality a cabinet crisis may ensue.