Seeking means to ingratiate themselves with Benito Mussolini, certain zealous Italians have founded the Action Committee for the Universality of Rome. Their grandiose gospel amounts to identifying 20th Century Fascism prophetically with the ancient Pax Romano, and its glories. Frankly pleased, Orator Mussolini now often indulges in verbal orgies about the Universality of Rome, but as a practical, pragmatic ruler Premier Mus solini knows exactly where the U. of R. stops today, namely, at Italy's frontiers. With characteristic prudence, II Duce did not permit his Fascist Party to be represented in Montreux, Switzerland last week at the first World Conference of Pax Romanizers. President of the Action Committee is hopeful Fascist Eugenio Coselschi, devoutly anxious to be considered Dictator Benito Mussolini's intimate friend. To mild Montreux ("warmest winter resort in Switzerland") went as his guests the leaders of vaguely Fascist groups in France, the Netherlands, the Irish Free State, Rumania, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland. No delegate showed up to represent Adolf Hitler. Moreover, two of II Duce's most ardent foreign disciples, Austria's Prince Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg and Britain's Sir Oswald Mosley, also stayed away. At Fascist Headquarters in Rome hangs a full-length portrait of Sir Oswald — the only foreign Fascist so honored. His absence from Montreux last week amounted to notice from II Duce that the Pax Romanizers will have to achieve something concrete and meritorious before they can consider them selves one with Benito Mussolini. Last week the Montreux Conference first achieved a minor mess.
No sooner had Italy's Coselschi commenced to orate, as President of the Conference, upon the Universality of Rome than Norwegian Nazi Vidkun Quisling, onetime Defense Minister, jumped up to bark: "Why don't we talk about the Universality of Berlin? Adolf Hitler is just as much an exponent of Fascism as Benito Mussolini!"
Retorted President Coselschi: "Rome stands through all history for the Ideal State: authority created by Roman Law!" From that moment the cleavage between Nazi and Fascist, between Hitler and Mussolini was clear, and the Conference was in for an initial squabble.
"Rats & Vermin!" Dynamite at the Conference was Rumania's wild-eyed little Jan Motza, a leader of the Iron Guard which is Fascist in the loosest meaning of the term. "I come from a prison full of vermin and rats!" dramatically announced the Iron Guardsman. "Yes, my Fascist friends, from vermin and rats!"