Vote of Confidence

All week long, in the Chamber of Deputies, the internal policy of Premier Benito Mussolini's Government was debated. Each day the walls of the building echoed storms of applause or bursts of indignation.

Ex-Premiers Giovanni Giolitti and Vittorio Orlando definitely ranged themselves on the side of the Opposition--that hopelessly torn group whose disgruntled Socialist members (150 of them) have refused to attend the session, as a protest against Fascismo. Ex-Premier Salandra voted for the Government. Many notable speeches were made:

Giolitti. Ex-Premier Giolitti (Liberal) confined himself almost entirely to attacking the Government's restriction of the freedom of the press. According to him, it was unprecedented, unwarranted, a blot. Ending his short, well-balanced speech, he turned to the Premier, said: "For the sake of Italy's prestige do not treat people as if they were unworthy of that liberty they have hitherto enjoyed."

Boeri. Liberal Deputy Boeri, dutifully following his leader, Giolitti, attacked the Government not only upon its press policy but upon the numerous dissolutions of provincial and municipal councils. His speech, delivered with great force, was frequently punctuated by loud cries from the ministerial bench. Once Benito Mussolini arose and shouted: "No, no, no!" when Boeri accused him of muzzling only the Opposition papers. "Remember, Deputy Mussolini," was Deputy Boeri's final warning, "that last June you said to the Senate that the majesty of the law must be strengthened and protected. Today it is the whole of Italy that shouts this invocation to you."

Soleri. The speech of Deputy Soleri, another faithful member of Giolitti's band, was received in solemn silence by the Chamber: not even his Liberal supporters would back him in his attack upon the Government which touched, or seemed to touch, upon every phase of domestic policy. Speaking of the restricted freedom of the press, he made bold to tell Benito that "if suppression of liberty is necessary-- and I do not deny that it may be necessary--it is the best proof of the utter failure of your home policy."

Demarsico. The pent-up energies of the Fascist deputies were released in noisy bombardments when Fascist Deputy Demarsico arose to defend his chief, Benito. One by one he took the arguments of Signer Soleri and metaphorically broke them over his thighs. At each snap of the hapless Soleri indictments, the cries of the Fascisti grew more and more delirious. Came the time for paying tribute to the martyrs of Fascismo. Demarsico turned to Soleri, shouted: "They died smilingly, our 3,000 martyrs, to construct something permanent. Make no illusions for yourselves; they have indeed created something permanent; and their sacrifice will not have been made in vain." Fascist lungs sent up a shout of wild applause that caused Fascist mouths to open their widest.

Delcroix. But the greatest speech of any was yet to come and with it the greatest surprise and the greatest enthusiasm.

All eyes were turned to a spot where a sightless and handless man stood up to address the Chamber. He was Carlo Delcroix, Italy's living symbol of the War and all the horrors and glories it represented. This man, whose power over the Italian people can be compared to that of Mussolini and d'Annunzio, was nominated a Fascist Deputy as a compliment and a tribute. That was before he bared his fangs and showed that his bite was more powerful than his bark. When, earlier in the year, he bitterly attacked Fascismo, his Fascist comrades were not so sure that they had done a good thing for the Party by giving him a seat. And, as he stood upon the floor of the Chamber last week, the Opposition was more hopeful than the Government supporters.

"I speak as a Deputy, as a citizen, as a Fascist," he opened, clearly indicating that he did not speak for the mutilated section of the ex-combatants. The Opposition was astounded. "After ten years of war, Italy wants peace. It does not want the fall of one man to make place for other men nor the defeat of one Party to make way for another Party.

"The Opposition is wrong when it believes that its aims are the aims of the whole Nation. We see the mistakes which the Government has made, but we also realize the greatness of its achievements."

Here the hero paused. Men on either side wiped the sweat from his brow and pressed a glass of ice-cold water against his lips, while the Deputies cheered with all the fiery warmth of their Latin blood.

The hero turned toward the Opposition benches, continued:

"Every great movement has found and brought to power a great man. You now have this great man. Let it not be said that Italy had at last found a great leader and that envy struck him down.

"The Government has done its duty in the face of immense difficulties; and any one who is not driven by personal ambitions must admit it; and we have every reason to believe that the Government will also fulfill the Nation's desire for peace."

Another paroxysm of applause shook the massive structure of the Chamber. Turning to ex-Premier Giolitti, Delcroix proceeded:

"When you spoke the other night, I was filled with admiration at your returning to the active struggle of political life despite your 80 years. But I did not understand your words, which seemed indistinct and far away to me.

"Perhaps they were drowned by the roar of the river of blood which separates your generation from mine. For you, the fall of Mussolini would represent a mere change of government. For us, it would represent the end of a dream, the dying out of a hope, the defeat of youth and the destruction of the very reason for our existence."

Then, pointing to Benito with a handless arm, he said:

"Let him be free and tranquil. Let him run his course. If he wins, let him have the glory; if he loses, his will be the sadness. But do not allow anybody to say that the Nation had found a leader and that the pettiness and envy of men made him fall."

Finally, the peroration: "The Opposition promises every absolution to us who are not of the Fascisti and whom they consider accomplices of Fascismo's tyranny.

"But what about tomorrow? Tomorrow, if we were to give them the keys of our citadel, they would stone us. It would be their just vengeance and our merited fall.

"Let us, therefore, gather our forces and set out toward our victory. The last battle is always the most bloody; but the last victory is always the most beautiful. Onward, then, to victory; and may our country assist us and God be with us!"

As Deputy Delcroix sat down the Deputies stood up and never has the Chamber witnessed such enthusiasm. Members of the Royal Family in the royal box mixed their voices with the Deputies' to produce a storm of cheers and hand-clapping and viva's that would have discredited the best storms that the elements occasionally provide.

Then, tears streaming down their faces, men rushed to the Deputy, kissed him, congratulated him, wept some more. After they had resumed their seats, a unanimous motion was passed to have Deicroix's speech printed and posted in every municipality in Italy; and, while the motion was being passed, the unseeing, handless man was led to the Government bench, was embraced, kissed by Benito and each of his Ministers.

Mussolini. Next day, said Benito: "We are going forward to normal conditions; but it is not absolutely perfect nor yet are we moving very fast. Perfection never existed in Italy; and there is almost no belligerent country where any appreciable degree of perfection or normalization has yet been attained.

"So long as there are men, nobody can pacify them all. The best we can hope to do is to find a middle course of social compromise. What I am determined to attain is that the Fascist Party shall disturb public order less than any other. But absolute peace never existed in Italy, at least."

The Chamber believed him, voted confidence in him by 337 to 17.