ITALY: Fuad Feted

His majesty, Ahmed Fuad I, King of Egypt, was returning home last week from his state visit at London to the King and Emperor George V (TiME, July 18). King Fuad’s route lay from Paris, where he had spent several quiet days, to Rome where he was feted last week by King Vittorio Emanuele and Premier Benito Mussolini.

The Fascist press kept up a steady barrage of comment favorable to paunchy King Fuad, and whenever he rode out crowds of Fascisti displayed loud enthusiasm.

From these portents, it appeared how keen and vital is the rivalry of Britain and Italy in Africa. Indeed, both the British and Italian governments have spent sums large enough to be fairly called “excessive” in an effort to entertain King Fuad so sumptuously that the hearts of Egyptians may be sensibly touched in return.

Everyone knows that Ahmed Fuad I is a British puppet and unpopular in Egypt, but honor done to him is still honor done to the Egyptian masses who must in the end attain their destiny and choose what nations to call “friend.” While King Fuad was in residence with Italian royalty, he and his entire suite were required to enact a quaint mummery so that he might call at the Vatican. Etiquette forbids that any person shall pass directly between a residence of the King of Italy and the residence of the Pope. Therefore King Fuad was obliged to “reside” for a few minutes both going and coming at the Excelsior Hotel.

The Beatissimus Pater Pius XI, content, bestowed upon His Majesty the highest decoration in the gift of His Holiness: the Order of the Golden Spur.