Page:L. W. - Fascism, Its History and Significance (1924).pdf/31

 Rh exploitation and the aims of the Fascist imperialists are Still soaring. The Adriatic and even the whole of the Mediterranean are claimed as the proper preserves of Italian commerce—much to the horror of The Times, and the leading French papers, which warn the Italians in avuncular terms against such exaggerated claims.

Inside the Fascist Party, the dissension between the "old" or "dissident" elements and the orthodox supporters of Mussolini grows rather than lessens. This dissension is a fairly straightforward one and is between the agrarian elements Still in the Party and the Fascists proper. The presence of agrarians has always been a thorn in Mussolini's side, and the powers of censorship have been applied to criticisms raised by the dissidents against the Government. A large concession of petroliferous land has recently been made to the American Sinclair Syndicate. The dissident Fascists in their journal Il Nuova Paese have attacked this policy on nationalist grounds, but further criticism has now been prohibited by the Government. The policy is equally distasteful to the Nationalists and another break in the bourgeois front is made. The quarrels in the bourgeois camp have recently come to a head as a result of the murder of the Socialist Giacomo Matteotti. There is no doubt that this was an act of the utmost unwisdom. It had the result of uniting all the elements of the opposition against the Government. In spite of Mussolini's policy of "moderation," his personal attitude towards violence was highly compromising, even five days before this murder. Speaking in the Chamber in reply to criticisms raised by the Communist Gennari, the Premier pleasantly remarked:—"What you want is a bullet in your neck. We have the courage to see that this is done, and we shall do it. We have Still time, and we shall act sooner than you expect. …" The extremists were shouting for a victim and Mussolini gave way. Matteotti was selected.

It is not difficult to see why the choice fell on Matteotti. He was a brilliant, capable and honest leader of the reformist socialists, but this did not of itself mark him as a danger to the Fascists. His offence lay in his efficient exposure of the corruption in the Fascist movement. He recorded the deeds of Fascism day by day—not only its deeds of violence and tyranny, but its deeds of financial jobbery and commercial dishonesty.

The enmity of the Fascists towards Matteotti was comprehensible enough, but they should have hesitated before they gave such rein to their passionate hatred. The murder of Matteotti, as Mussolini remarked, was not only a crime but a blunder. It played into the hands of the opposition by giving them an invaluable ground of attack on Fascism. Fascism, they argued, is defended as a means