PART III. THE WORDS OF THE LEADERS1922. November I r. "If the dictatorship has not been in- · stalled, the Chamber is begged to harbour no illusions. If it does any mischief it will be suppressed." Popolo djltalia (Mussolini's paper). November 17. "With 300,000 men fully armed, absolutely determined, and almost mystically eager to obey my command, I shall be able to punish all who have abused and attempted to besmirch Fascism. '' I could have made of this grey and frigid hall a cohort's bivouac; I could have shut up Parliament and constituted a Governmet?t exclusively of FascL~ts. I could have done so, but I did not desire to, at all events in these first days. . . . '' So far as it is possible for me to avoid it, I do not want to govern against the Chamber; but the Chamber must realise its situation, which renders it liable to be dissolved at any time, the day after to-morrow or in two years' time." Mussolini, in the Chamber. December 8. "Our propaganda will be Fascism, Fascism and Fascism ; and for those who are hard of hearing we announce that the manganello {bludgeon) will be able to work wonders." Bolzoni, of the Fascist Party executive, in an interview. December 19. ''The wounding of the Fascist Boretti the other evening at Campi Bisenzio has given occasion for various reprisals. Some Florentine Fascists joined those of the locality and went to the quarter of S. Martino, where Serelli, the Socialist ex-syndic, was living; they made him sign _a declaration binding himself to leave the district within forty-eight hours, and then constrained him to administer to himself a moderate dose of castor oil. Then they got on the track of exBiblioteca Gino Bianco
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