Page:L. W. - Fascism, Its History and Significance (1924).pdf/8

6 triumph of Fascism is like expecting to "tear a pension out of the hands of a courtier" or his prey from a ravenous tiger.

Against these fanciful theories we may set the concrete facts. The violent smashing of the Labour Movement in 1919 and 1920 by armed bands of blackshirts is not disputed. The beatings, the burnings and the murders carried out against the political and economic organisations of the workers are openly admitted. The hypocritical defence is, indeed, put forward that the Trade Unions, the Co-operatives, and the Italian Socialist Party did not really represent the working class; they were simply the vocal expression of the more "extremist" sections. No one acquainted with the facts can accept such inaccurate special pleading. The membership of the General Confederation of Labour in 1919 was over two millions; of the P.S.I. (Italian Socialist Party) 70,000, while the ranks of the latter were constantly swelling. In the parliamentary and local elections of 1919, the Socialists gained unprecedented successes, and the whole movement was in a condition of active development. The working class was in a State of ferment and its aspirations found political expression in the Italian Socialist Party.

The murderous policy of the Fascists during the period preceding their seizure of power was directed almost entirely against the workers. Nor did their policy change when they had attained political control of Italy and Mussolini was Prime Minister. Then the value of his pious phrases about class collaboration and the brotherhood of Italians in pursuance of national ideals became plain for the nauseating cant that it was. In accordance with the usual practice of bourgeois rulers, the Fascists carried on their class legislation behind a screen of fine phrases. "Economy in State Finance" was needed to restore national credit; so the State railway services were cut down on the ground that they were unremunerative, while employees were dismissed, and a vast reduction of wages set going; the eight-hour day has been attacked and, on the railways, nullified by a "spread-over" system. New taxes on the workers (carefully collected at the source) have been imposed, at the exorbitant rate of over 10 per cent. on wages, while death duties (which are paid mainly by the wealthy) have been drastically reduced, luxury taxes lowered ("to encourage the production of motor cars"), and the law prohibiting the issue of bearer Stock repealed so that capital holdings may be anonymous and more easily escape taxation. Nor have the acts of violence which characterised the Fascist rise to power now been checked. Mussolini himself issues half-hearted protests against violence from time to time, but it continues to be used as the means of securing political compliance and the adherence of the workers to the Fascist labour organisations. It reached a climax at the recent elections (April, 1924). Protests against the