Grandpa

Youth is Fascismo's stock in trade. The party anthem, "Giovinezza" is all about "Youth, youth, springtime of beauty!"

Just how old is Benito Mussolini?

"I am too busy to grow old!" he has said. When his daughter Edda, Countess Ciano di Cortellazzo, recently returned from Shanghai where her husband was Italian Minister, photographs of her baby son Fabbrizio were barred from Italian newspapers which were further forbidden to mention Il Duce as a grandfather.

One day last week the Dictator joined Count & Countess Ciano at the Adriatic sea resort of Riccione. On the beach Bambino Fabbrizio patted with his pink palms Grandpa Mussolini's suntanned pate. Later they drove to Il Duce's estate near Predappio where he was born, for a celebration in which only neighboring villagers took part. A few old friends brought simple presents. Italian editors knew better than to mention what Benito Mussolini would like to conceal, that this was his 50th birthday.

On Rome's next birthday (April 21 when she will be 2,687) the old lady will receive from the Fascist Party a birthday present consisting of a bronze statue of Benito Mussolini 180 ft. tall.*

*The Statue of Liberty is 151 ft. from base to torch, in ft. from heel to top of head.

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