"A LIVING SPIRIT"

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 33, 8 August 1934, Page 10

"A LIVING SPIRIT"

FASCISM WILE • ENDUKE

ITALIAN CONSUL'S BELIEF

"ONLY ONE MUSSOLINI" S

"Fascism will remain a living spirit liko that of Cromwell and Washington. It has been said that Mussolini is a tyraiit by predilection and nature. Nothing is further from the truth. He is a democrat of democrats, if the good of the people is to be any criterion as we believe. The work of Fascism speaks for itself. There is only one Mussolini, but his spirit will live after him; ho has trained others to work the path that he has traced. Fascism is tho rallying point of all classes and conditions, representing tho synthesis, needs, traditions, and aspirations of the whole nation." This was the confident judgment on Fascist Italy left with members of the Palmerston North Citizens' Lunch Club yesterday by Signor Formicholla, Consul in New Zealand for the Italian Government, at the conclusion ■of an address on the Fascist regime in Italy, reports tho "Manawatu Daily Times." Fascism was tho successor to the unificatory efforts of Cavour, Garibaldi and others that culminated*'in the proclamation of the Italian kingdom in 1861, said Signor. Formichella. Then the nation was made one in Government and spirit, but' she needed something more to give her greatness. Her political system had been deficient, and different Governments failed1 to realise her true heritage. Her economic structure wa3 not virne, and half of it.was dissipated in the Great War. Italian soldiers returned homo determined that their land should not become a shambles or tho refuge of vagabonds. Fascism, then, was established to counter corrupt and subversive elements that were taking advantage of post-war conditions to create social strife, callously heedless of the great misery in swhich their perfidy threatened to submerge the nation. Fascism was the spirit of Italy, and Italy identified herself with Fascism/heart and soul. It was an' Italian movement by Italians and not imported. It had no quarrel with another country's democracy, but maintained its own cult as best adapted to Italian needs and ideals. Mussolini himself was a great democrat and at all times accessible. In twelve years he had given 100,000 interviews and replied to 2,000,000 Tetters. All Italians were proud of him and were with him to the last. He deserved well of the whole world, because he pacified Italy at a time when Communism threatened to submerge her and spread thence beyond her borders. ITALY BEMADE. Having cleared the country of Communists, the Fascists in 1919 marched on Borne, to give the Eternal City back to the love and faith of the nation. The creation of tho Guild State, based on the insertion of all national activities within the framework of the State, might be considered its great achievement. In a.modern State no sharp line could bo drawn between social, political, and economic activities. In the Fascist doctrine work was -the only title justifying full participation in the. life of the nation. Fascist labour syndicates were soon formed and joined by the industrial workers, supplanting the older trade unions. Employers' confederations were likewise .formed, and each of these was recognised by the other in wage bargaining; the old collective agreements being scrapped. The Fascist slogan was: "All within the State, nothing outside tho State, and nothing against the State." The old objections of the employers to dealing with organised labour were supplanted by mutual acceptance. Conditions thus agreed upon were recognised as binding upon all workers in the district.' Membership was not compulsory, but the benefits accorded' to union members were automatically extended to all workers. Contribution to the fees was obligatory oa all workers, and was limited to a maximum equal to one day's' pay annually. In 1926 the task of reforming all economic activities was entrusted to occupational unions. They were expressly requested to attend to educational matters and welfare and promote by all means possible the prosperity of their occupation. There were eight of these general confederations. Under a law of 1926, infringement, of the' collectively-imposed labour conditions was prohibited, making strikes and lock-outs an offence. Should it be dtisired to change conditions, the matter was brought before a joint syndical committee and if necessary was finally reviewed by the Minister of Guilds. LITTLE STATE BUSINESS. The labour charter was in 1927 proclaimed as a fundamental doctrine of Fascist society. Private enterprise was recognised as tho best business unit and well suited to the national temperament. But production was recognised of national importance. State interventiou in industry was therefore restricted to those spheres whero,private enterprise was either lacking or not functioning well. No rigid system of wage fixation was imposed, and matters could bo referred as the last resource to the Duco himself. State interference in industry when ultimately decided on might take the form of control, assistance, or direct management. Signor Formichella described the development of the agricultural and public, works policies in Italy, and concluded by saying that Mussolini sought peace.