Salvemini Fears Continued Fascism in Post War World

When the Nazi-Fascist military machine cracks up, the armed forced of the United Nations, among which those of Britain and America will have the last word, will not be able to occupy the whole Italian peninsula at one stroke. Therefore, a crisis will be unavoidable in large sections of the country between the moment of military breakdown and the time when the armed forces of the Atlantic Powers will have firmly established their control over the whole peninsula.

During that period of crisis, the men who have run the machine of Fascist administration on -- a machine shattered by defeat but not yet demolished -- will find themselves face to face with the men of the underground anti-Fascist groups.

Between Two Flags

These underground groups fall under two headings: believers in democratic institutions and Communists.

To be sure, the military and civil delegates of the Atlantic Powers will not go to Italy with the purpose of setting up a Soviet Republic there. As long as they are there, they will no doubt, prevent the Communists from carrying out coups de main against the other political groups.

But besides making Communist coups de main impossible, what should the occupying authorities do? What are to be the aims of the Atlantic Powers, not only in Italy, but in all countries west of Russia.

Pro-Fascist?

Do the British Foreign Office and the American State Department intend to bolster up their quasi-Fascist or out-and-out Fascist regimes when the Nazi-Fascist, military machine has collapsed, or do they intend to help democratic groups get the upper hand as for as possible?

The Author

Gaetano Salvemini, student of Italian literature and history, and one of the foremost Italian antifascists in the country today, was born in Italy and received his education there.

When the Mussolini regime came into power in 1926, Salvemini left the country and came to the United States. Here, he has taken an active stand against Mussolini and Italy, frequently contributing articles to such magazines as The Nation and the New Republic, expounding his views.

Is the blood of American youth to be shed for the ideals of Jefferson, Lincoln, and Wilson or for those of the British Tories, the American steel tycoon, Mr. Myron Taylor, and the Fascisl bishops of Detroit and Brooklyn?

If the British Foreign Office and the American State Department adopt the latter ideals, the British and American forces of occupation in Italy, while preventing Communist coups do main, will join hands with the Fascists against the democratic groups

Fascism a la U. S.

They will help the Fascists to remain in control of the press, the associations, the assembles, the trade unions and local and central government. Italian democrats who come to the fore from the underground will have to swallow a more or less disagreed by product of the Fascist dictatorship and it they do not do the swallowing with suffices good grace they will go to jail waving large flags emblazoned with President Roosevelt's famous "four freedoms everywhere in the world."

If we intend to remain true to the ideals of Jefferson, Lincoln and Wilson, the armies of occupation will follow a quite different line of action. All the Fascist higher-ups and those among the lower ranks who have shown particular fanaticism, should be interned on penal islands for the duration pending the decision of the future national government. All Fascist organizations will be disbanded and their headquarters closed. Fascist uniforms, badges and flags will be forbidden. Fascist legislation limiting personal and political rights will be repealed.

Internal Freedom

The Italians will be left free to re-organize their press, their associations, their political parties. Then, within let us say three months, municipal elections by universal suffrage will be summoned. After three more months, elections for provincial councils will be held. At the end of the year a national Constituent Assembly will be elected.

When a regular government has been established by the Constituent Assembly, the peace treaty will be signed. The armed occupation will come to an end. and America and Britain will have earned respect and gratitude by their fair dealings and their humanitarian activities.

Which Way, Then

Britain and America, by demolishing Fascist military structure, preventing Communist seizure of power, and granting the Italians a cooling period during which they can freely organize them selves, will empower them to work out by themselves their own salvation and choose according to their own wits their own form of government.

Unfortunately, everything we witness leads us to held that the British Foreign Office and the America State Department have little use for Liberal traditions and intend to follow pro-Fascist policies all over Europe.