Electoral Bill

Debate of Premier Benito Mussolini's bill to reform the electoral law* (TIME, Dec. 29) provided abundant scope for the fiery oratory and violent scenes which have made the Italian Chamber of Deputies so justly famed.

The beginning of the debate was enlivened by the re-entry into the Chamber of the Communists, who decided to abandon their boycott in order to be able to heckle the Government. Their spokesman, Signor Grieco, was not long in starting his attack. In a bitter speech, full of the usual Communist phrases, he attacked Fascism mercilessly for its policies, its achievements, its existence.

At the end of the oration the Communists sang The Red Flag. It was the first time that it had been heard in the Italian Parliament for two years. Something had to be done about it, so the Fascisti mocked the Communists by joining in with them as they bellowed The Red Flag.

After this friendly action the Communists were so overcome that they left the Chamber in a body, the Fascisti rising from their benches and waving them good-by with their handkerchiefs. Deputy Farenacchi, leader of the Savage or Extremist Fascisti, advanced toward them with the mock politeness of a host "speeding his departing guests": "Come again, often," said he. "We are always pleased to see you."

The next day a furious debate took place on the electoral bill. The oratory was, however, meaningless, for the Fascist Party holds two-thirds of the Chamber's seats and is opposed only by a handful of the Opposition, owing to the boycott declared by the Socialists who number 150 or two-thirds of the Opposition.

Ex-Premier Orlando opened the debate for the Opposition. Amid frequent and angry interruptions he criticised adversely the Premier's recent iron-hand policy (TIME, Jan. 19), and for the rest contented himself with expatiating upon the contents of the withdrawn motion.

Ex-Premier Giolitti spoke, but had little to add to Signor Orlando's arguments. His reception from the Fascisti was more violent than that accorded to his colleague, for it was remembered by everybody that Signor Giolitti is a past master in the gentle art of "cooking" elections.

The aged ex-Premier (83) declared that he had little hope that the bill would be defeated.

"You ought to be pleased. It will give you another reason to oppose me," teased Mussolini.

Signor Giolitti went on to say that honest elections were impossible at the present stage of the internal situation.

"You could give me lessons on how to run an election," came the meaning retort from the Premier. And, later, in answer to another jibe from Giolitti, Signor Mussolini rapped out: "You may rest assured we will not use the artillery in our election. You have done even that."

Final debate on the bill passed off without untoward incident. On a motion supported by several Fascist Deputies representing workmen, a provision for plural voting for certain classes of men was deleted. The objection to this section of the bill was that its effect would be to reduce the suffrage of the workingmen.

The Bill was passed by 268 to 19 votes. The usual cheers were given for Premier Mussolini, after which the chamber was indefinitely adjourned.

* Last year (TIME, July 2, 1923), Mussolini substituted for the old electoral law a measure which gave the victorious political party two-thirds of the seats in the Chamber and divided the remainder on the system of proportionate representation. This law has been used relentlessly by the Premier's enemies against the Fascisti, and he has been at length driven to introduce another law based upon a modified version of the one he scrapped.