The
School for Dictators
lgnazio Silone
EorroR's NoTE:
We print below a section from Silane's
The
School for Dictators,
shortly to be published by Harpers. This chapter
is
headed: "On Fascist mythology, its obscurities, its fetishes, "and its
idols, and on the modern technique of hypnotizing and subduing the
masses." It must be explained that Mr. W. is an American fascist
politician who aspires to become "the future dictator of the United
States." He is traveling through Europe, accompanied by his chief
brain-truster, Professor Pickup, in order to learn from German and
Italian experience how to seize power. Thomas the Cynic is a political
exile living in Zurich who has agreed to give Mr. W. "a kind of rapid
course on arcana dictatorium." He is described as a Socialist by con–
viction, but one who above all "believes that things should be called
by th-eir right names."
PROFESSOR PICKUP
ON OUR way back from our usual walk through the wood, Mr.
Cynic, we found the remains of some ·dainty feminine garments
be–
hind a clump of bushes. On the grass there were signs of a furious
struggle.
MR.
w.
I think somebody ought to inform the police. It looked to me
as
if
a crime had been committed.
THOMAS THE CYNIC
A crime? Why employ such a serious word for such a petty thing,
Mr. W.? Such is human nature that few men entirely succeed in re–
fraining from it. At most you should imitate the priests and call
it a sin;
if
you like, a mortal sin.
MR.
w.
Oh, well,
if
that's all it is, there's nothing much to worry about.
PROFESSOR PICKUP
Tell me, are the customs of this country so primitive and violent?
THOMAS THE CYNIC
On the contrary, the Swiss are a serious, hard-working people,
tormented by innumerable inhibitions. Although they have known
liberty for centuries, they have never confused it with license, and
nQt even in periods of general laxity have they abandoned themselves
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