"Italy in Economic Crisis Tired of Histrionic Mussolini," States Salvemini--"Relations With Vatican are Not Friendly"

"Mussolini has lost much ground in Italy during the last four years, and his popularity is rapidly declining," declared Professor Gaetano Salvemini, formerly of the University of Florence, and recently appointed lecturer in the Department of History at Harvard, in a recent interview.

"In Italy there is no opposition; under a free regime there can be opposition, while under a dictatorship only discontent. The Fascist party is the only lawful political organization, and opposition is treason. The reasons for discontent are two-told First, there has been an economic crisis in Italy for the last four years. Second, the people are getting tired of Mussolini.

"During the first four years of Fascist regime Italy enjoyed a comparative prosperity. The country was recovering from the war and the Fascist government increased a feeling of prosperity by inflation. At the end of 1926 the inflation had to be stopped: and the economic crisis set in. Before the end of the inflation Mussolini was credited for the feeling of prosperity. Now he is blamed for the bad existing conditions. It is not true that he bestowed prosperity on Italy, and so it is equally incorrect to give him all the responsibility for the present crisis.

"Mussolini is a good actor, but one can't go on acting forever. His gestures lead everybody to talk about him, and for this reason the world believes that he is a great man. There are several great men in the world today. Masaryk has done great things for Czechslovakia Hindenburg has proved himself not only a great soldier, but a perfect statesman. Hoover was responsible for the relief of Belgium during the great war, and Edison is still alive, accomplishing great things. They do not possess the same histrionic gifts as Mussolini. This is why we do not hear much about them How ever, the people are getting tired of an actor. In America his prestige is still alive, due to the activity of a certain press. Still, even over here he is ceasing to be a hero.

"Up until February, 1929, the Italian states had been in official disagreement with the Roman Church Relations however, were friendly, especially during the 30 years preceding. Now, officially there is agreement: but relations are no longer friendly. After 30 years of peace in time of war, we have now in Italy, between Plus IX and Mussolini, a state of war in time of peace."