Page:Gaetano Salvemini and Bruno Roselli - Italy under Fascism (1927).djvu/25

 of its ablest exponent, of the man who could really be the pyramid of the structure which is built not according to earlier political ideas, as a levelling movement, but as a pyramid- shaped movement. Therefore, I believe that it will be a sad and very serious day when Mussolini dies, or leaves the helm. Fascism will remain, but not perhaps necessarily Fascism at its best.

It has been said in other cities where this matter has been discussed by today's speakers, that the people of other countries have to consider Mussolini as being personally guilty of everything that appears to be wrong in Italy now, and that therefore the rest of the world should only punish Mussolini in case something goes wrong. The comparison was drawn only a week ago today in a gathering similar to this in Boston, between Mussolini and the Kaiser—the Kaiser should pay, the people of Germany should not pay. I ask, who is paying more at present, the quiet Kaiser who lives chopping wood at Doorn in Holland, most of whose worldly possessions have been restored to him, or the German people who, right or wrong, are being made to bear the burden of what the Kaiser may or may not have done? Is is easy to discuss the responsibility of a leader detached from his people, but international relations do not bear that out.

Because of what seems to be the direct relation of the value and the validity of Professor Roselli's interpretation of Fascism, I should like to ask the reason for his reference to Mexican Fascism and the meaning that he attaches to that term.

I had that question written here. Mr. Hogue elaborates it by saying that in order to test the validity and the value of Mr. Roselli's statement, he would like to know what Mr. Roselli means by Mexican Fascism, I am inclined to think that we will save that, too, until we run out of Italian questions.

I should like to ask Professor Roselli if he can tell us something about the Syndicalist Labor Law and how it has worked.

The "Corporation Law" is a very recent creation. It has hardly worked at all, well or badly. I wouldn't be willing to go on record as either praising or finding fault with the present corporation law which is absolutely a new-born creature. It is not fair, I think, to pass upon it at present.

Perhaps it is useful to know what the new corporation law is. The Prime Minister appoints the General Secretary of the trade unions. The General Secretary appoints the Provincial Secretaries. Each Provincial Secretary appoints the Secretaries of individual trade unions. All workers must pay their contribution to their trade union. The tax collector collects the contribution and gives the money to the Secretary of the trade union, who must not overwork himself to get the money because the money comes by itself.