The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-12-22
MUSSOLINI
VOTE BILL
STIRSR0ME
All Kinds OF Conjecture
Raised BY His Dramatic
Announcement
10 HOLD ELECTIONS
IN EARLY SPRING
Premier Would Institute
Giolitti's Famous Elec-
toral System
OPPOSITION SEES
IMPENDING REVOLT
"
Socialists And Others Condemn
Electoral Move AS Weak
ness Of Fascist
TO HOLD ELECTIONS
IN EARLY SPRING
OPPOSITION SEES
IMPENDING REVOLT
fRv Associated Press)

ROME, Dec. 21.-Premier MUS
solini's dramatic announcement IN
the chamber of deputies yesterday
in giving notice of bill modifying
the electoral law kept the political
atmosphere buzzing today: Inc
senate and chamber, the embassies
and legations and other circles were
in commotion throughout Sunday,
all kinds of conjectures and COM
ments filling the air. Most OF the
deputies have not recovered 1roii'
their astonishment:
as meaning that he intends to have the
general elections in March or April ana
# has caused a shock among the ma
iority members as well as the opposition.
Although many of the deputies and SEN
ators left last night to spend Christmas
at their homes or to begin their cleo.
toral campaign, parliament. resemoled
a beehive, where the leading politicians
gathered to exchange opinions, seeking
light on the confused situation.
Giolitti Is Pleased
Former Premier Giolitti expressed sat
isfaction that Mussolini finally had G.
cided to return to ethe' electoral system
This system, he argued, had worked
. well in Italy for more than half a cen
fury since the constitution was ganted
therefore it had tradition behind 1t p;
was rooted in the spirit of the people
and responded better to the feeling OF
the nation, each voter preferrrng TO
choose his own deputy rather than 10
vote for a collective party ticket which
gave him the impression that he had no
representative in a parliament.
1.-THE situation" he said, has become
a blind alley and Mussolini has burst
into the omen with the present issue.
In expressing his support OF the bill,
former Premier Orlando said: 1t is
undoubtedly a master stroke on the part
of Mussolini to seize the bull by the
horns, thus upsetting the plans of the
opposition and even of some of his fol-
lowers"
Giovanni Amendola, former minister
of the colonies who is the mouth-piece
of the opposition, declared: Rather
than have the next elections under the
fascist government We prefer to make
a revolution" ..
The so-called Aventine opposition,
which Amendola persOnifies together
with Deputies Filippo Turati, leader OF
the intransigeant socialists, Modiglianl
and Cesaro, has adopted a resolution
declaring, that Mussolini's move In pre-
eenting an electoral bill is merely an at
tempt to distract attention from the
gravity of the situation and to find an
outlet for the government winch
morally and politically is unable any
longer to stand the grave responsibility
Of a situation which it has created.
The definite attitude of the various
parliamentary groups is not Clear Dut
from present indications it would appear
that the extremist fascist are annoyed
in the fear that for them the next cleo
tions NAV be less successful than the
nreyious elections. In addition they look
upon the new electoral bill as conces-
sion to the opposition and a renuncia-
tion of the intransigeant spirit Animal
ing fascism.
Liberals Approve
The liberals of the right, as Salan-
dra's followers are called, approve the
electoral bill, nursing the hope that
Salandra may be Mussolini's successor.
The liberals of the left-Giolitti's fol-
lowers are equally satisfied with the
bill. also in the hope that Giolitti may
be his successor.
The Maximalist socialists think that
Mussolini's crafty stroke aims to bridge
over the conflict which they believe
exists between FascismO and the crown,
creating new situation whereby a
conservative coalition will be formed
having as its chief opponents Mussolini,
Salandra and Federzoni. Therefore
. they are more than ever Mussolinis OPP
ponents.
The communists consider the presen-
tation of the bill as desperate ex-
pedient of the fascist to keep themselves
in power, but Notwithstanding this. they
believe that the communists will b"
strengthened in the next elections.