longer prevails. · . . Those present accordingly declare that they are forming themselves into a secret local committee of defence:, directly responsible to the General Secretariat of the Fascist trade union federation of Padua." (Padua, August 15, 1923.) The Ministers of the Navy and of War invited holders of the gold medal (for valour at the Front) to take part in the Fascist anniversary celebrations, and authorised them to recover their travelling expenses fro1n the headquarters of the Fascist party (October 21, 1923). At Naples the Executive of the Italian Nationalist Association issued this communication : '' In view of the particularly grave situation in· those provinces in which, as at Naples, the authorities have openly assisted the Fascist efforts to gain control of affai,rs by force, to the injury of the Nationalist groups. . . '' (December 30, 1922.) "At 'furil)," wrote the Popolo d'Italia 1 itself, "there was no sign either of the Prefect or of the SuperinteThdent of Police ; accordingly the police took no action, and con1pletely abdicated its functions in favour of the squadre d'azione" (armed Fascist bands). (December 28, 1922.) Things have gone so far that the Fascist Federatjon of the Polesine (delta of the Po) issued the following circular : ''With a view to giving the Federation a system of administration . . the Council proposes to assess contributions on the basis of the Government assessments of income and taxation, and to require the taxcollector::; to collect them. Signed : Luigi Arcangeli, Enzo Casalini." (Rovigo, April 2, 1923.) By an abuse of the plenary powers law (which was intended. to simplify administration), the Government 1 Mussolini's organ.-Trans. 6o BibliotecaGino Bianco
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTExMDY2NQ==