Leading Italian Newspaper in America Condemns Mussolini’s Anti-semitism

Speaking in the name of Americans of Italian origin, Ill Progresso Italo-Americano, foremost American newspaper published in the Italian language, in an editorial today sharply condemns Hitler’s and Mussolini anti-Semitism, asserting that “Americans of Italian origin want none of this barbarism in the United States.”

“Among the blackest crimes committed by the Fascist regime against the Italian people was Mussolini’s importation of anti-Semitism from Nazi-Germany,” the editorial says. “When the Italian nation was free, it was proud of its Israelite sons like Prime Minister Luigi Luzzatti, the steadfast champion of the common man for half a century, brilliant, incorruptible financial genius, and Foreign Minister Sidney Sonnino Independent Italy revered its Lord Mayor Ernesto Nathan as head of the Metropolis of the Catholic world. Fervent pride runs through us as we recall Daniele Manin, that courageous leader of the Venetian Repulic in its heroio defense against Austrian tyranny. Only the Nazi race rioters and their squirming Fascist imitators, can deny the great credit thought to Italy by such Israelites as the world-famous criminologist Caesar Lombroso; the great jurist Mortara, and the renowned associate of Marconi, Dr. Alessandro.

“Hitler’s gauleiters have robbed at least 15,000 Italian Jews of their jobs, Among those whom Mussolini has driven out is the doctor who delivered the babies of the royal family, Doctor Artom, now in Philadelphia. Italy has been deprived of the services of Tullio Levi-Civita, its greatest mathematician and member of the Vatican Scientific Academy and Admiral Paolo Maroni amongst many other notables.

“Divide and destroy! This is the driving force of Nazism-Fascism. It breeds oppression and tyranny. It sends whole nations reeling backward into barbarism. It destroys the real and profound unity of free peoples and replaces it with a brutally enforced national uniformity and regimentation, It comes to a ghastly climax in rapacious racialism. Its prologue is anti-Semitic; its epilogue is anti-human. In its wake follow explosive divisions, paralyzing fear, and undying hatred. Dictatorship brings only stewing dissension and embittered antagonism bound to boil up in blood.

“We Americans of Italian origin want none of this barbarism in the United States. We say: the whole world has had more than enough of it. The more we do to banish this plague from the face of the earth, the sooner will the world be a better place to live in. Towards the triumph of tolerance, freedom and civilization, none of us can do too much too soon.”