BE PROLIFIC

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 20, 23 July 1927, Page 20

BE PROLIFIC

MUSSOLINI'S ADVICE TO ITALY.

In an address before tho Chamber of Deputies on tho general policy of the Fascist Government, its achievements during tho last year, and its programme for the future, Signor Mussolini made no mention of Italy's foreign, financial, or economic policy, but ho declared that 'ho would deal with foreign affairs beforo tho Senate in the near future (states tho Homo correspondent of the "San Fraucisco Chronicle")- The threo principal subjects on which tho Prime Minister dwelt were tho health conditions of tho Italian nation, administrative reform and the goneral policy of tho Government. He said that ho considered it an error to soy that Italy was ovcrpopulated; and he urged Italians to maintain one of their greatest qualities and to be prolific. Great nations, ho addod, began to decline when their population began to decrease, and he strongly hoped that in 19G0 Italy's population would total sixty millions. Ho had already imposed a tax on bachelors to encourage marriage, and if it should prove to be necessary ho would not hesitate to introduce a tax on childless marriage.

Speaking of tho recently created provinces, he expressed his intention of referring in the future to that of Bolzano as "Bolgiano," in order to familiarise the Chambor with its Itilian traditions, which years of Austrian domination had failed tooliminate. In any case, he declared, even if the whole provinco were inhabited by pure Germans, Italy would always retain and defend the Brenner frontier.

Sonic alarm had been raised beyond the Alps by the prosonco of Blackshirts along the frontier. "It is ridiculous," said Signor Mussolini, "to beliovo that any danger could arise from the fact that a fow hundred militiamen (less than 1000) arc doing relief duties ou'the Franco-Italian frontier."

. Tho Fascist Party, he ' continued, would govern tho country until its programma had been fully carried out, and he himself would remain in power for at least fifteen years, as his successor had not been born yet. Next year would bo doyotcd to the economic "«tuation, to the application oi' the trade union reforms, and to tho reorganisation of the fighting services. 1

Tho present Parliament would continue to function until tho end of its natural term in 1929, but future Parliaments could not bo elected by tho system of universal suffrage. Tho • new Chambor would be olectcd through tho various co-opciativo organisations, and the now method of election and composition of the Chamber would bo decided upon beforo tho cud of this yoar. Thunderous applause marked tho conclusion of the Bpoeoh, and tho Deputios rose to their foot and sang "Giovinezza" and other Fascist songs.