THE FASCIST SALUTE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 201, 26 July 1937, Page 2

THE FASCIST SALUTE.

SIGNOR SCHIPA INTERVIEWED. CABLES FROM ITALY. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 20. “Bravo, Tito. J embrace you.” This cable was received by the Italian tenor, Signor Tito Scliipa, after the newspapers in Borne had reported the objections raised by a Sydney Alderman to the Fascist salute being given in the Town Hali. The message was sign ed by Signor Aehille Starace, secretary to the Fascist National Party, and the singer believes it was sent at the instance of Signor Mussolini. Count Grandi, Italian Ambassador in London, cabled: “1 have read in the papers with pride of your decided answer for giving the Roman salute. Bravo. In this way Fascists must respond. Cheerio.” A handsome man, still on the sunny side of fifty, vivacious and witty, Signor Schipa, a through passenger bj the Mariposa to California on his return to Italy, told an interviewer this morning that the shaking of hands among the Fascisti was forbidden. “I do not shake hands any more,” he said in broken English. “I salute in the Roman fashion, sometimes when I go on the platform and sometimes when I leave it. I have done it in many places—Paris, London. Berlin, Perth, Melbourne and jWlelaide. Was I ever told I must not do it? No; no; only by Alderman Grant. But lie could not stop me. I said I would not sing any more. It would not blatter to me. I was only expressing loyalty to my country just the same as you would express by some action your loyalty to Great Britain. “If somebody had come to me and said: ‘Tito, please avoid any trouble. Just abstain from the salute because there is jealousy and feeling ’ maybe I would have said: ‘Alright.’ But I was provoked. The statement was made that I was .the agent of the brutal Fascist Government, and I said: ‘I will not stop in your country. As a good Italian I will ahvavs give the salute.’ ”

Suiting the action to the word, Signor. Schipa raised his right hand above his head. “It is not something new; it is the old Roman salute known for thousands of years,” he said

Signor Schipa said lie had received congratulations from thousands of people in Australia oil the stand lie had taken. -He had replied to a newspaper article, stating that Italy was a peaceful country. He said he was considering bringing to Australia and New Zealand next year his own opera company, for which, he would have to ask Government support.