(Published in Il Popolo d'Italia, October 8, 1935)
The Necessity of Italian Expansion in Africa
After a preamble, the Duce spoke thusly:
Mussolini: I wrote a letter to Sir Samuel Hoare in response to the letter he sent me last week, addressed to our ambassador to London, the tone of which was particularly friendly. This disagreement that England has with us truly makes no sense, and a conflict between our two nations is really inconceivable. Neither from close nor from afar, neither directly nor indirectly do we seek to harm British interests.
Our colonizing action in East Africa could not possibly compromise neither the prosperity, nor the communications, nor the security of any of the British imperial territories. I am ready at any time to prove and guarantee that our provisions are not only peaceful, but also cordial.
The first thing to do is to loosen the tension that weighs on the Mediterranean, namely the presence of a large part of the British fleet. This state of alert, this mobilization of so many units in all strategic points is likely to cause some sort of incident, despite the strict orders that we have given; our constant concern is to avoid any collisions.
The League of Nations, and even the good sense of Governments, should be able to provide us with many solutions to regulate the relations between a Western power of high civilization on the one hand, and on the other hand an African state whose need for assistance and whose need for a total reconstruction of its political, economic and social structure has all been officially acknowledged. Problems of this kind have already been faced in the past and have never been insoluble.
Meanwhile the League of Nations is at work, but just like the most beautiful girl in the world, it can not offer anything except superficiality.
It would be strange if this institution, whose entire purpose is to avoid war, would have the effect of amplifying a war. It would even be paradoxical if a clearly circumscribed colonial war turned into a war between ten or twelve powers.
How did this wave of unprecedented violence erupt in England against Fascist Italy?
Mussolini: Perhaps one must attribute this phenomenon to their total ignorance of the fundamental change that has taken place in the Italian people.
England still has not realized that we are no longer the same nation we once were. However, now they are beginning to suspect it. The day in which they understand this will be the day in which every other misunderstanding is finally dispelled. Up until now, the English have regarded the Italians as a cheerful, picturesque, sympathetic people who animate villages and adorn cities. The English have fun when they visit us. For them, Italy has long represented an important part of their pleasurable leisures.
But today our people are profoundly different. A fierce forty-month war taught the Italians how to stoically endure deprivation, and has created serious men, austere men, aware of their national duty; men who swore to themselves that the immense sacrifices of that war would not have been made in vain.
From 1919 onwards we have developed our Fascist action upon this new ground, first in opposition to all the forces of the State—then, after the triumph of our revolution, in collaboration with—all the forces of the State. From that moment on, we gave these hardened souls a doctrine and a discipline, and for them the March on Rome was the beginning of a new existence. But at the same time—and this is the real secret of Italian metamorphosis—we have directed our daily efforts to the education and instruction of children from their youth until the age of maturity.
We have taken the Italian child and molded him, forged his mind and soul in harmony with the great ideal of the Fatherland, while simultaneously training his body through military exercises. Our organizations embrace all ages, and the noblest one—namely the National Recreational Club (OND)—is virtually unknown in your country of France. This organization is a complex of clubs, recreation camps and instruction rooms where millions of Italian workers come to rest, to learn, to recreate and to distract themselves after a hard day of work.
The results of this triple discipline of fire, revolution and education are those magnificent soldiers you saw during the maneuvers and on the loading bridges. Those are the fighters who started the campaign so brilliantly. One should know that our people—who are the most laborious in the universe—together with our youth who are enrolled in the Army, in the Air Force and in the Navy, constitute a very formidable force. These men are ours. They were created by Fascism. And this formidable force no longer has to ask others for the recognition of its proper right: the right to live.
You have to realize that in this country, despite our great effort in land reclamation, we are forced to live on merely one-hundred thousand square kilometers of cultivated land—one-sixth that of France—with forty-four million inhabitants. On my signal, our soldiers in East Africa will exchange their rifle for a hoe. They ask only that they be able to work to support their families, to whom they already send their modest earnings thanks to their wonderful saving spirit.
Is it true that many messages have come from France?
Mussolini: Yes, in addition to many manifestations of sympathy, coming primarily from ex-combatants. You yourself witnessed the beautiful and spontaneous demonstration of our soldiers the other day who responded by singing the French National Anthem and cheering France in front of the Palazzo Farnese. The souls of the two peoples would revolt if for any reason a conflict broke out between our two countries. It is a monstrous hypothesis that we should not even think about.
The proper interview ended here. But as the Duce often does, he accompanied me through the main room to the portico, which opens into one of the great rooms where the precious treasures of the Palazzo Venezia are preserved. At the door, he repeated:
Mussolini: I am delighted to speak to French opinion through the "Paris-Soir", which I know is immensely popular and widely distributed.
He then added words of sympathy and friendship to France and to Mr. Laval. Just inside the door, I saw a group of men in black shirts step towards us. They were mature men with intense faces, whose chests were covered with decorations. They were the presidents of the local industrial federations. The war with Ethiopia has imposed severe sacrifices upon them. None of them can take advantage of the war by enriching themselves, because a law has limited dividends by six percent. Very strict regulations weigh on their daily activities: yet none of them came here to complain. In fact, under the guidance of Count Volpi, they came here to pledge their absolute obedience and collaboration with the Duce.
