Work Guaranteed

What is the essential doctrine of Fascismo? It is direct, constructive, continuous action by the People under the guidance of the State. This gospel of action, dynamic, propulsive, was expounded last week by Signor Benito Mussolini in a great document designed as the ground plan on which the new social order must arise. Fascists hailed the proclamation as their Charter of Labor, as the first magna charta guaranteeing to a people not rights but duties. . . .

Substitute "work" for "duties" and the meaning gradually unfolds. Man does not want to labor; but, since he must, it is a kind of boon to guarantee him the certainty of work to do.

"We must abandon the great phrase of Liberty," said Dictator Mussolini years ago, and added (TIME, Jan. 31), "Fascismo has already stepped, and, if need be, will quickly turn around to step once more over the more or less putrid body of the Goddess Liberty."

The Charter of Labor, promulgated last week on the "Putrid Liberty" hypothesis, lays down the following general principles which will be elaborated by legislation into a society system:

1) The Marxian theory of class war to be explicitly abjured by employers and employed, in favor of the Fascist theory of class cooperation.

2) Labor is declared "a social duty," and property "accomplishes a necessary social function." Whatever appertains to either is placed "under the guardianship of the State."

3) The State, as guardian of Capital and Labor, will exercise its power through units called Corporations, acting as its agents.

These will deal with associations and syndicates representing capital and Labor.

In a word, all bargaining between employer and employed will be collective by compulsion, with the people (represented by the State) as compulsory arbiter.

4) Absolutely forbidden, under whatever circumstances, are: lockouts by employers; strikes by employes; sabotage by anyone. The employer must employ. The worker must work. None may damage the engines of production.

5) Capital is guaranteed the right of Property, the right to pay good labor more than poor*, and the right to undertake capitalistic enterprises on private initiative.

6) Labor is guaranteed a six-day week (hours undefined) ; extra pay for night work; full pay on national holidays; compensation, in case of discharge, by payment of a sum proportionate to length of service.

7) Employers and employed to be equally and mutually responsible to the State for maintaining maximum factory production.

8) Penalties: fines; suspension of employers from management; discharge of workers from employment.

* There will be no "maximum" or "mini-~mum" wage.