Mussolini as revealed in his political speeches (November 1914-August 1923)Mussolini, Benito
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Mussolini as revealed in his political speeches (November 1914-August 1923)
Mussolini, Benito
Fascism -- Italy; Italy -- Politics and government -- 1914-1945; Mussolini, Benito, 1883-1945; Partito nazionale fascista (Italy)
Fellow-Soldiers!—After your ranks, so well disciplined and of such fine
bearing, have marched past His Majesty the King, the intangible symbol
of the country, after the austere ceremony in its silent solemnity
before the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, after this formidable display of
sacred strength, words from me are absolutely superfluous, and I do not
intend to make a speech. The march of to-day is a manifestation full of
significance and warning. A whole people in arms has met to-day in
spirit in the Eternal City. It is a whole people who, above unavoidable
party differences, finds itself strongly united when the safety of the
common Motherland is at stake.
On the occasion of the Etna eruption, national solidarity was
wonderfully manifested; from every town, every village, one might say
from every hamlet, a fraternal heart-throb went out to the land stricken
by calamity.
To-day tens of thousands of soldiers, thousands of standards, with men
coming to Rome from all parts of Italy and from the far-away Colonies,
from abroad, bear witness that the unity of the Italian nation is an
accomplished and irrevocable fact.
After seven months of Government, to talk to you, my comrades of the
trenches, is the highest honour which could fall to my lot. And I do not
say this in order to flatter you, nor to pay you a tribute which might
seem formal on an occasion like this. I have the right to interpret the
thoughts of this meeting, which gathers to listen to my words as an
expression of solidarity with the national Government. (Cries of
assent.) Let us not utter useless and fantastical words. Nobody attacks
the sacred liberty of the Italian people. But I ask you: Should there be
liberty to maim victory? (Cries of “No! no!”) Should there be liberty to
strike at the nation? Should there be liberty for those who have as
their programme the overthrow of our national institutions? (Cries of
“No! no!”) I repeat what I explicitly said before. I do not feel myself
infallible, I feel myself a man like you.
I do not repulse, I cannot, I shall not repulse any loyal and sincere
collaboration.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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