SHOT FIRED AT MUSSOLINI

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19474, 2 November 1926, Page 9

SHOT FIRED AT MUSSOLINI

HIS UNIFORM PIERCED. SROWD LYNCH ASSAILANT. ' OUTRAGE AT BOLOGNA. PBIME MINISTER UNHURT. ADDRESS TO FASCISTS. Telegraph—Press Association-—Copyright. (Received 7.5 p.m.) i. and N.Z. ROME. Oct. 3i. Another attempt was made to-day to tssassinate the Prime Minister, Signor Ifnssolini. The outrage occurred at Bologna. A youth attempted to kill Signor Mussolini by shooting him with a revolver ♦vhile he was driving to ths railway Itation. Signor Mussolini was not hurt. A crowd of onlookers lynched the »culd-bo murderer. Fignor Mussolini had opened a scientific Congress in the city, and also a huge ttadium with accommodation for 50.000 people. His motor-car had reached the entrance to the Via della Tndipendenza when the youth, who was 18 years of age, at him. Ho was immediately seized and lynched. The Prime Minister stopped his car far a few minutes and then drove on He had had a very narrow escape. The bullet severed a ribbon of decoration and pierced the edge of his uniform breastHigh, also the sleeve. The Mayor of Bologna was seated alongside him when the outrage was perpe(jatcd. Speech Prior to the Outrage. At the railway station Signor Mussolini addressed a gathering of army officers prior to departing for Forli, accompanied by his family. At the opening of the sports stadium, prior to the attempt upon his life, the Prime Minister, who wore the uniform of a commander of militia, rode on horseback into the vast arena and halted in the centra amid deafening cheers, which lasted for several minutes. From his saddle he harangued the assembly, which punctuated his address with further cheers, especially his references to the King as supreme commander oi the army and militia. He added: Fascism a Civil Religion. "To-dav's ceremony is the crowning feature of the celebration of the Fascist march to Rome. It is unprecedented in character and significance, because it signifies that a people under arms is enthusiastically 'acquiescing in the Fascist regime, a people willing to follow me everywhere. "Fascism is now the civil religion of «very Italian worthy of the name." Then, rising in his stirrups, the Prime Minister exclaimed: "Black Shirts, raise aloft your rifles. Let the world see this forest of bayonets and feel the beating of your hearts, which are resolute and invincible." Later, Signor Muisaolini took the salute in a march past of the regulars, the militia and Fascists. j _________ . A MADDENED MOB. SHORT SHRIFT FOR VICTIM. FOURTEEN KNIFE WOUNDS. Australian and N. 15. Cable Association. (Reed. 8.55 P.m.) ROME. Nov. L. Later details of the attempt upon the life of Signor Mussolini at Bologna show that directly the shot was heard the crowd realised what had occurred. A yell of horrified anger was raised and before frhfl detectives who were guarding the Prime Minister could intervene the people threw themselves upon the youth who bad fired the revolver. They used their fists, sticks and even their boots, and the youth died within five minutes. Finally the maddened mob dragged the corpse into the middle of the street and left it lying there. The assailant has not yet been identified. t Signor Mussolini coolly went on to the railway station. In addressing the soldiers on the platform he showed no trace of the experience ho had just undergone, although he had actually stopped his car and watched the crowd closing in npon the youth and the roar of the infuriated lynchers must have been ringing in his carp while he was driving to the station. Fourteen knife-wounds were found on the assailant's body. Bologna was recently the scene of hitter encounters between Fascists and antiFascists. Earlier in the day SignoT Mussolini had spent some time at Reggio, where he was once schoolmaster. He had met many ot his former pupils and was full of enthusiasm in talking about his youthful days. Th' 3 Prime Minister's family awaited him at Bologna station and he went with them to Forli, wMre he intends to spend a holiday. PREVIOUS OUTRAGES. THREE DIRECT ATTACKS. ONE FRUSTRATED PLOT. There have been three previous attempts urpo" the life of Signor Mussolini and one plot with the same intent. The first attempt was on August 31, 1924, when he was firrd upon as he was motoring from Acqui Pendente to Rome. His own motor* car was not hit, but another car following his was riddled with bullets. Then oil November 4, 1925, a plot to assaysinate him during the armistice celebrations was discovered. This led to the arrest of General Capeilo and a certain Zaniboni. On April 7 last the Hon Violet Gibson, sister of Lord Ashbourne, an Irish peer, fired a revolver at Signor Mussolini in Rome, the bullet inflicting a wound is. hu nose. Thi last attempt was. on September 11, when a youth named Gino Lucetti threw a bomb which struck this window of the motor-car in which the Prime Minister was driving in Rome. The crowd attempted to lynch the perpetrator. Signor Mussolini was the leader of the Socialists at Forli prior to the war. He founded a weekly paper, La Lotta <n Classe (The Class War) and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment during the Tripoli campaign for an anti-militarist agi tation. He then became editor of the Socialist daily, Avaaia, at Milan, s'Jtmgly

, opposed the revisionists and Freemasons in I the party and. was the real instigator of the rioting in various towns in Italy during the "Red Week," June 4-13, 1914, when a republic was actually proclaimed in the Romagna. A few months later Mussolini was a changed man. Hitherto an anti-militarist, ho began to agitate for the entry of Italy into the war. As his change of front did not please the other party leaders, he left the Socialists and the Avanti and founded the Popolo dTtalia in which he set forth his new "NationaJ Socialism." When Italy came into the war in 1915, Mussolini went to the front as a volunteer, received a commission and was severely wounded. Unfit for further active service he conducted in his paper a vigorous campaign against defeatists and neutralists. After the war he was the protagonist of the Nationalists, especially the ex-sol-diers, whom he gradually organised into the Fascist League, which became the actual ruler of Italy. The country at that time was tn a state of anarchy and demoralisation and there is no doubt that it was saved from disaster by Mussolini, who brought order out of chaos. On October 28, 1922, with the aid of the Fascist army, which marched on Rome from all sides, he seized the reins of power, drove out tho Facta Cabinet and had himself named Primo Minister by the King. The Communist and Socialist parties were suppressed and he controlled every detail of public life, even the humblest posts being filled by Fascists. The Chamber itself granted him extraordinay powers and adjourned for an indefinite period. Mussolini himself took tho portfolios of the Interior and Foreign Affairs. The "Duce," as his Fascists called-him, was absolute in Italy, but he observed the convenances toward the King, who, in March, 1923. bestowed on him the Order of tho Annunziata, with the title "Cousin of the King." Mussolini put forward a scheme of electoral reform and made his Fascist militia take the oath to tho King at the beginning of 1925. His power was augmented in November, 1925, when he decided that in future he would be responsible to the King alone and not to Parliament, which was thus deprived of all authority. Mussolini's measures have included the transference to private enterprise of most of tho State undertakings, the suppression of Freemasonry and all secret associations, the reform of communal administration, eliminating the electorate, the cancellation of the civil rights of all who agitato against the interests of the nation, that is, anti-fascists, the abolition of all trade unions, owners' associations and the like not sanctioned by the State, which meant the end of strikes, and the control and censorship of the press. On January 3, 1926, Mussolini had himself nominated Minister of Foreign Affairs and of National Defence (army, navy and air force). FURTHER PARTICULARS BULLET FOUND IN CAR. COOLNESS OF MUSSOLINI. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 12.15 ».m.) ROME. Oct. 31. The would-be assassin of Signor Mussolini managed to get near the cordon of troops and police who were guarding the route before they were aware of his intention. After the youth had fired he was immediately seized by an officer and Fascists bafore ho could fire a second shot. The first bullet was found in Signor Mussolini's car. When tho body of the assailant was taken to a police station npthing was found in the clothing to reveal the youth's identity. A medical examination showed traces of strangulation and deep knife wounds. When Signor Mussolini was reviewing some sailors and officers of the militia a few minutes later he did not refer to the affair. He was accorded a great ovation this evening when he arrived at Forli. Tho King of Italy immediately telegraphed expressing his honor at the outrage and the congratulations of. the Royal Family on Signor Mussolini's escape.