Orlando Out

Alleging that Italy is a land where liberty no longer exists, ex-Premier Orlando last week resigned his seat in the Camera del Deputati.

His action followed the mobbing he received the week before at Palermo, his home town in Sicily, at the rough hands of the local Fascisti (TIME, Aug. 10). In his letter to the President of the Chamber, Signor Orlando charged that his party (Liberal) had been unfairly defeated in the municipal elections,* declared that there was now no longer a place for a man of his record and political beliefs.

The Fascist press was silent except for one which under the headline, ORLANDO CONFIRMS AND CONFESSES LIBERAL DEFEAT IN PALERMO, confined itself to printing without comment the ex-Premier's letter of resignation.

The Opposition was bolder--too bold for Italy. The Tribuna declared that the resignation was caused by the "foul campaign of misrepresentation carried out by the Fascisti in the days preceding the election." The Giornale d'ltalia said that the resignation was a protest against the Fascist regime and showed the depths to which political methods in Italy had fallen. For thus airing their opinions the first editions of the day were suppressed by the censor.

It was recalled, however, that Signor Orlando was elected to the present Parliament on a Fascist ticket. When he deserted the Fascisti and went over to the Opposition (TIME, Dec. 1), he declared that he was not bound to resign, as he had been elected by the Liberal voters of Sicily who themselves had backed the Fascist ticket because he, Orlando, had backed it, and not because his constituents had any predictions for Fascism. The municipal election disproved Signor Orlando's contention and opponents averred that the only thing left for him to do was to resign.

*The election was held during the past week, and resulted in 9,671 votes for the Fascist Party and 5,866 for the Liberal bloc, headed by ex-Premier Orlando.