Signor Mussolini secured from the Italian Chamber on Monday a
decisive majority for the principle of his new Reform Bill. The Socialists alone ventured to oppose it : most of the members of the Clerical or " Popular " party abstained from voting. The Premier gained his victory by one of his peculiarly blunt speeches, in which he made much of the Socialists' innate fear of liberty, as shown by the terrorism in Russia. The Fascisti Government were resolved, he said, to remain in power until they had redressed abuses and restored tranquillity. People were not asking them for liberty, as the Socialists pretended, but for better houses, water supplies and other tangible things. If the Chamber did not support the Government it would, the Premier hinted, be dissolved, but the elections would not be held in any case until times were normal. If the Chamber continued to vote with the Government, the Fascisti would be able to relax their " moral pressure."
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