Fascismo Flayed

A racing motorboat skimmed into the harbor of Nice. Pressmen rushed to greet it and hailed its principal passenger as an escaped turncoat Fascist who would now reveal the truth about Mussolini. ^ They were not disappointed. General Cesare Rossi, formerly head of the Fascist Press Bureau, stepped from the motorboat and told a thrilling tale of his "escape" from Rome by motor car in the dead of night to Genoa, where he was picked up by the motorboat, chartered on behalf of a Paris newspaper which is to print his revelations.

The correspondents eagerly drank in the General's somewhat premature but colorful remarks: [ bring to the world the truth about Fascismo! I was one of those accused of complicity in the Matteotti murder. I was later shamefully prevented from proving my innocence before the courts by being released through a general amnesty. I still declare that Premier Mussolini was responsible for what happened to Matteotti!" (TIME, June 23, 1924 et seq.)

"Mussolini made slaves of us! What has Fascismo done to our country? Anarchy, murder, riots and a perpetual state of internal war are kept up for the greater glory of Mussolini! Then, putting on the mask of a peacemaker, he causes the men who execute his orders to be lodged in jail.

"Murder is stalking my footsteps today, even in this land of liberty, France. Mussolini, not content with making murder an institution in Italy, pursues his hatred and vengeance against his former friends, enemies now, even in the land where they have taken refuge.

"I am going at once to Paris, where, with friends, I shall make known what the world has a right to know of Fascismo!"

Observers awaited with attention the important information which General Rossi can undoubtedly release at Paris, if he chooses to replace vivid sensationalism with matter of demonstrable pith.