ITALY: Ousted

• Share

A violent Fascist quarrel was ended during the past week with a sudden, sharp shock. Dynamic Augusto Turati (TIME, Aug. 8), Secretary-General of the Fascist Party (and, in the opinion of some observers, the future II Duce), expelled one Signer Settimelli from the party for "grave and repeated lack of discipline," warning three others with a firm reprimand.

The quarrel concerned Fascist policy and was between two members of the fire-eating wing of Fascismo, (Emilio Settimelli and Mario Carli, editors of the Impero [Power], sometimes described as an official Fascist journal) and the two members of the weaker-kneed group, Curzio Suckert and Telesio Interlandi, (editors of the Tevere [Stable], a convenient backyard for Dictator Mussolini's mental gambits).

The dispute allegedly threatened to disrupt, split and irrevocably sunder the entire party. No alarm was felt, however; Rome was amused, hilarious, even enthusiastic over the daily ebullitions of the four disputants. Then the Facist fiat put an end to their fulminations. The comedy was over. Rome smiled and turned expectantly to II Duce for the next thrill.