No Equals

Pari nessuno con chi rappresenta il governo dello stato.

Mussolini

The above favorite maxim of Il Duce, that "No one may claim equality with him who represents the Government of the State," was given peculiar legal force at a Cabinet meeting last week. Rapping for order, Il Duce presented a decree embodying the notorious "electoral reforms" recently proposed by the Fascist Grand Council (TIME, Nov. 21).

If passed, the measure would abrogate democratic suffrage in Italy, and create a new legislative Chamber almost solely controlled by appointive powers vested in Signor Mussolini. He would then indeed have no "equals" even in the legal sense. Well, who was opposed?

Since of the 14 cabinet posts Il Duce himself holds seven,* and since the other seven ministers are, with two possible exceptions,/- absolutely his creatures, there could be no opposition. The law was straightway approved by Cabinet decree, to become effective as follows:

1) The multi-party system at parliamentary elections is abolished, and hereafter only one exclusively Fascist ticket will be presented to the electorate, for approval or rejection in toto by simple majority.

2) The unique ticket will contain only candidates who have been approved by the Fascist Grand Council, a body whose members are appointed by Signor Mussolini.

3) In the event that the electorate rejects the one ticket presented to it, a new election shall be held under the direction of the Court of Appeals. This body shall supervise the drafting of two or more new tickets, and whichever one of these receives the most votes shall be declared elected in its entirety.

Thus Signor Benito Mussolini is placed in a position to absolutely dominate the Chamber by indirect appointive means. Other features of the law include: 1) Reduction of the number of deputies from 535 to 400; 2) The Grand Council to draw the nominees which it approves for candidacy from panels submitted by exclusively Fascist organizations, such as the 13 "corporations" which represent all Fascist agricultural, industrial and employer groups; 3) Suffrage to be accorded to celibate citizens over 21 or to married citizens over 18, provided that they pay certain taxes or are of the recognized clergy or are state employes.

*Prime Minister and Minister, respectively, of Foreign Affairs, Interior, War, Marine, Air and Corporations.

/-The vast wealth and prestige of Finance Minister Count Volpi enable him to retain a very limited private initiative; and the potent connections of Minister of Colonies Dr. Luigi Federzoni with the Vatican give him likewise a modicum of independence.