One Man Majority

Potent and almost omnipotent is Signor Benito Mussolini, but not plural. Though he count himself up 1,000 times he must still total himself--one. Last week, however, the cheerful Dictator with the smouldering eyes and confident uplifted chin made the best of his physical singularity by turning himself into a legal majority of 7 in his cabinet of 13.

When the thing had been neatly and swiftly done, Il Duce was--and is--: 1) Minister of Foreign Affairs; 2) Interior; 3) War; 4) Navy; 5) Air; 6) Corporations; and 7) Colonies. Since the Dictator has held the first six of these portfolios for many a month (TIME, June 16), he really did no more last, week than snatch for himself the Ministry of Colonies. Thus he became a One Man Majority of 7/13ths. Additionally, of course, Signor Mussolini is Head of the State (Il Capo), Leader of the Fascist Party (Il Duce), Prime Minister, and Chairman of the new Fascist Grand Council--now the supreme organ of State (TIME, Nov. 26).

Keenest Roman interest focused on the man from whom Il Capo snatched the Ministry of Colonies--Signor Luigi Federzoni. Some have called this strong and enigmatic statesman "The Soft Speaker for the Vatican." All know that he has long been the only one of Benito Mussolini's ministers from whom harassed King Vittorio Emanuele III has always been able to secure a countersignature for his royal acts. Constitutionally the pen scratch of His Majesty is of no effect, unless countersigned by a member of the Government. Therefore when Signor Federzoni's ministry was snatched away, last week, the King was popped even deeper down into the depths of Benito Mussolini's ogreish pocket.

Federzoni's potency was greatest shortly after Fascist bludgeon men had done to death the Socialist Deputy and millionaire Giacomo Matteoti--a deed which nearly unseated Prime Minister Benito Mussolini, himself suspected of ordering the crime (TIME, June 23, 1924 et seq.). With the Dictator for once scared and shaky, the King was able to insist that Deputy Luigi Federzoni be made Minister of Home Affairs in charge of the police. Smart guessers think they know that Faithful Federzoni then obtained evidence which he and King Vittorio Emanuele held over Il Duce for years afterwards. Eventually however the Dictator felt strong enough to possess himself of the Ministry of Home Affairs, giving the Ministry of Colonies to Federzoni.

The final ounce of boldness probably came, last fortnight, when the Dictator closed and bade farewell to the last democratically elected parliament of Italy. When the new Chamber meets, next Spring, it will consist entirely of Deputies hand picked by the Fascist Grand Council. There will be no Opposition. In the words of Il Capo to the departing deputies:

"Critics of our Fascist regime have complained that the present Chamber is 70 per cent Fascist. Very well! The next Chamber will be 100 per cent Fascist!"

Additional acts of the Dictator, closely related to the ousting of Senator Federzoni as Minister of Colonies were:

1) Appointment of General Emilio de Bono as Under-Secretary and acting head of the Ministry of Colonies. This places in charge of Federzoni's old ministry the very man whom he ousted from the Directorship of Police during the "Matteoti Affair" (see above). Needless to say General de Bono is known for his blind obedience to // Capo;

2) Appointment of Field Marshal Pietro Badoglio to be Governor-General of Tripoli and Cyrenaica, two colonies which were united as one last week. With Senator Federzoni on the shelf, old Field Marshal Badoglio is thought to be the strongest partisan left to the King. His removal to the other side of the Mediterranean will scarcely strengthen the Crown.

As Governor-General of Tripoli and Cyrenaica, Marshal Badoglio will of course be responsible to Under-Secretary of Colonies General de Bono (see above), who was until last week Governor of Tripoli, and therefore responsible to ousted Minister of Colonies Luigi Federzoni. In short the whole colonial apparatus of the Italian State was turned upside down, last week, and on the new downside is His bantamweight Majesty King Vittorio Emanuele III.

Despite the constantly enhanced ascendency of Il Capo over Il Re it is noticed, however, that the only masculine hand over which Benito Mussolini continues to bend with an ingratiating smile is the hand of Majesty.*

* Which Majesty is immaterial. George V has received from Il Duce exactly the same submissive bend and smile which he accords to Vittorio Emanuele III.