Savage Maxims

Fascismo has its extreme right wing, a group of zealots called "The Savages" in Italian argot. Last fortnight one of these bravos, Signor Mario Carli, set forth in his newspaper, L'Impero, certain maxims:

P: "Whoever passes a whole night at a gambling table and feels no need the next day to perform at least ten good actions of the first magnitude in order to make up for that indecorous night is unworthy of the name of Fascist gentleman.

P: "French is a servile language, the use of which should be restricted entirely to hotel waiters.

P: "Society must be cast in the male mold. It must be dominated and inspired by man. It will thus become more elastic, more dynamic, more alive, healthier. If man had run society the last few years it would not have permitted . . . women to pattern their appearance on the rattlesnake, asparagus or a nail, with all the rotundities carefully smoothed out.

P: "Who drinks tea with pleasure in Italy?

Everyone detests it, yet everyone swallows gallons of it while hating every mouthful. We must abolish this Northern-Oriental beverage and return to coffee and chocolate. . . .

''We must not fear to be accused of being provincial. Rome is the eternal centre of all civilizations. It is far more provincial to be afraid to appear provincial than to have courage to be oneself with sincerity and pride.''