Glowing Stars

As a bright, gyrating Sun may cast off glowing stars, so Dictator Benito Mussolini projected upon Italy, last week, the following dynamic dictations:

P: A vigorous campaign against spaghetti "and other foods in which white flour is squandered" was announced, last week, to commence with the observance of Feb. 19, 1928, as National Rice Day.

Postulated Il Duce: "We must intensify by propaganda the practical, intelligent production of rice, which is eminently suitable as a national food."

Zealous Secretary-General of the Fascist Party Augusto Turati announced, last week, that he would stage "public rice maneuvers" during which the novel comestible would be lavishly prepared and guzzled in quantities.

P: The morning after National Rice Day was set as the time when the Cabinet would meet to finally approve a decree suppressing the Chamber of Deputies and creating instead a National Assembly chosen by appointive rather than elective means. The Senate, already an appointive body, would reputedly be allotted functions similar to those of a Supreme Court.

P: Gambling with the paraphernalia of roulette and baccarat was allowed to be resumed in Italy, last week, but at only one resort, San Remo, which is only 20 miles east of Monte Carlo on the Riviera. When Senator Corrado Ricci interpellated Signor Mussolini, last week, as to why San Remo alone was favored, the Dictator rapped:

"It is quite true that other seaside resorts would like to follow San Remo's example, but their wishes will not be fulfilled. . . . For very strong reasons of a political and economic nature a special exception was made in favor of San Remo, but the exception in this case also serves but to prove the rule."

The mysterious "reasons" were alleged by the Fascist press to focus upon a project for developing San Remo as a mulcting ground for foreign tourists, while Italian gambling continues rigorously suppressed elsewhere.