Fascism is Opposed to Anti-semitism, Italian Leader Emphasizes

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)

The spontaneous and enthusiastic reception which the Jews of Tripoli gave the Prime Minister il Duce Mussolini, during his recent visit to the colony, has made an excellent impression, S. E. Grandi, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and one of the most prominent members of the Mussolini Cabinet, declared in a special interview given to the representative of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency here.

“Tripolitan Jewry, which has readily given its assistance to our Government since the first days of the Tripolitan occupation, constitutes an important element in the progress and development of our colony and carries out a useful task as the mediator between the Italian and the native population. The increasing tendency among the Jews of Tripoli to send their sons to Italy to study will still more strengthen the significance of this Jewish task and will prove of great benefit both to Italy and to Tripoli.

“With regard to Italian Jewry.” Signor Grandi said, “it must be emphasized that in Italy there is no Jewish question. The enthusiastic participation of the Jews in the Italian liberation movement, the patriotism of the Trieste Jews during the last fifty years, the enthusiasm with which the younger citizens of the Jewish faith fought in the Great War (it was a Jewish family from which three Italian professors, the youngest of them winning the highest decoration for bravery, went out and gave their lives for the Fatherland), show clearly that in Italy the Jews are in no way distinguished from the rest of the population, but are Italian citizens of the Jewish faith who live the same life and share the same ideas as all other Italians,” he declared.

With regard to the attitude of Fascism to the movements which call themselves by that name and which in the countries where Jews live in large masses bear an avowedly anti-Semitic character, Senor Grandi said:

“It is quite logical that with the complete victory of Fascism in Italy and the stand of our people against disruptive anarchy, the eyes of citizens of other nations seeking for a strong and enduring Government are being turned to Rome. The various European movements which consider themselves similar to Fascism or call themselves by our name have naturally several principles in common with us, such as the cult of the Fatherland, religion and might, recognition of the present system based on private property, etc. But there is no ground for the idea, which has been many times denied, that Italian Fascism is in any sort of relationship with the parties who wish to imitate it in other countries and to identify their programs in their entirety with the program of Italian Fascism.”