Monday, Oct. 14, 1929

"Communist Seed"

In recent weeks sharp-eyed Fascist scouts noted in Italian bookstores handsomely bound, well made editions of the works of classic Russian and American authors selling at prices obviously below the cost of manufacture. Fascist authorities scented propaganda. Last week, armed with orders from the Italian Department of the Interior (Italy's Department of the Interior: Benito Mussolini), black-shirted, truncheon-swinging Fascist Militia raided bookstores, bundled all editions of the works of Gorky, Gogol, Dostoievski, Tolstoy, Turgeniev, and even Jack London into vans. Official reason: "Low-priced editions of these works have injured the sale of books by modern Italian writers. They often contain seed for Communist propaganda."