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But "General" Balbo had done his job of political repression too well. In Ferrara. a priest had died of a beating. Balbo had to stand trial. Nothing was proved. He was acquitted, and II Duce commended him for behaving "like a Fascist and a gentleman." But there was so much fuss that Mussolini removed Balbo from the militia, let him cool off for a year or so. As Undersecretary of National Economy, he was a complete misfit. Finally Mussolini hit upon a plan for diverting into a useful channel his disciple's hot-bloodedness, ambition and ability as an organizer. He told him to learn to fly, gave him the Undersecretariat of Air. Disgruntled were famed Italian flyers who thought they rated the job. But Undersecretary Balbo was no swivel, chair cabinet officer. He learned to fly ably. He developed the navigation school at Orbetello and a high speed school at Lake Garda where trim Macchi seaplanes lately wrested the world's speed record (423 m.p.h.) from Great Britain. He developed a system of six airlines on which not a single passenger has been killed in three years. He built up Italy's military air power from fourth place to a position second only to that of France, capable of prodigious long-range bombing operations. He proved himself probably the world's greatest organizer in aviation and, incidentally, made himself rich.
Italo Balbo expresses his theory of military aviation thus: "Aircraft must be used in masses like infantry in the next war, and solo flying will get us nowhere." Hence he concentrates his efforts on mass maneuvres with himself in the lead. The first, in 1928, was a western Mediterranean cruise of 61 scout seaplanes. Next year 36 bombers roared across the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea to Odessa. Two years later the South Atlantic was hummed over according to plan.
In such a military scheme there can be no individual stars. Nor are there any in Italo Balbo's personal scheme. Soon after Balbo took office, famed Col. Mario de Bernardi. Schneider Trophy winner in 1926, turned up in civilian clothes. Arturo Ferrarin (Rome-Tokyo; Rome-Brazil) landed on the reserve list. And Col. Francesco de Pinedo awoke halfway around the world one morning to find himself exiled to Buenos Aires as military attaché.
The resentment of famed oldtime flyers at such tactics is illustrated by an incident following Flyer Balbo's triumphant return from South America in 1931. Having been publicly lionized he presented himself at the door of Gabriele D'Annunzio. Italy's air hero of the War, who lost his right eye in combat and was called "II Duce'' before Mussolini. D'Annunzio coldly refused to see Balbo. Afterward his friends asked: ''Why do you snub him? After all he is 'The Eagle.'" Snorted D'Annunzio: "Eagle? . . . Peacock!"
But if Balbo has the vanity of a peacock, no peacock has the ability or courage of a Balbo. And if it be true that there are Italians who secretly hope that Balbo will meet disaster, it is also true that Balbo gives them every opportunity to get their wish.