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"The Opposition describes us as an army of bandits encamped in Italy. We have swallowed their insults and allowed them to call us brigands and assassins. Now before the Chamber, before the whole nation and before God I alone assume full personal, political, moral and historical responsibility for everything that has occurred in Italy. If Fascism is an association of malefactors then let it be known that I am head of this association of malefactors."
Across the Chamber floated "Bravo!" in a shrill treble from a woman in the gallery. Instantly bravos and vivas were engaged in mortal combat for supremacy. After fatigue had set in, the Premier resumed by referring to the memorandum of Cesare Rossi. Opening a large red book, he read Article 47 of the Italian Constitution. Then he said:
"The Constitution of the Kingdom of Italy gives the Parliament the faculty to impeach the King's Ministers by bringing them before the High Court of Justice.
"I formally ask whether there is anyone in this Chamber or elsewhere who wishes to avail himself of that faculty."
An ensuing moment of dreadful silence was ended by loud shouts from the Fascisti: "Viva Mussolini! Viva Fascismo!"
Pointing to himself and speaking with
passionate determination, he expostulated :
"I am accused of having organized a murder gang on the lines of the Russian Cheka, but nobody is able to say when, where or how. The truth is that the Italian Cheka has never existed. If I had founded such an organization I would have seen to it that its violence was always intelligent, timely and chivalrous, while the violences attributed to the Cheka which I am accused of founding always have been unintelligent, untimely and stupid."
The Premier then reminded the Chamber that the murder of Matteotti (TIME, June 23) had taken place after one of his (Mussolini's) greatest parliamentary victories in which he had invoked the goddess of national conciliation. "Even my enemies allow," he challenged, "that I am gifted with some small amount of intelligence, with much courage and with supreme disregard for filthy lucre. Please spare me the insult of believing me so stupid as to have ordered that crime to be committed."
As for the "filthy, ignoble and scandalous campaign" of the Opposition press against Fascism—"the moment has come to pass to the counteroffensive. The whole nation is asking what the Government is doing, the whole nation is asking whether it is governed by men or by puppets. The nation feels that its dignity is being wounded because the nation wants its own dignity to be reflected in the dignity of the Government."
"Now it is enough," he added, "when two parties fight each other from apparently impregnable positions; then force alone can be the arbiter, and the whole of history teaches us this. The Opposition believed that Fascism was dead, because on some occasions I have found it necessary to punish it. But let them remember that if I had employed in enflaming Fascism a hundredth part of the energy I have employed in restraining it, then indeed there would not be one single enemy of Fascism from one end of Italy to the other."
With a magnificent gesture the Premier ended his speech: