Evening star., 1926-11-06
May Return Fugitives to Test
Penalties Passed Guard
ing Duce.
MUSSOLINI IN CONTROL
OF 7 CABINET BERTHS
Moderates Win Victory in Defeat
of Retroactive Clause
by Council.
BY the Associated Press.

~ thC AoSONA000 1CSc'
AOSTA, Italy, November 6.-Nine
well-known anti-Fascists, believed to
have been connected with the recent
attempt to assassinate Premier Mus
solini in Bologna. were arrested today
as they tried to cross the frontier
into Switzerland.
The band left FroSinone October
% and arrived here several days ago.
They offered guides 800 lire to conduct
them across the border, but the guides
being refused them, they gave the
men up to the police. The arrested
men had $1,000 lire and 5000. They
carried no documents by which they
could be identified. It Is probable they
will be taken back to Bologna.
Mussolini i'm Control.
ROME, November 6 R.-Benito
Mussolini today held of the cabi-
nets 13 portfolios and was in eXclu-
sive personal control of newly cre-
ated formidable mechanism for the
protection of the Fascist regime
against all attacks, conspiracies and
insults of it's enemies.
SO far as offenses against the gov
ernment or it's leader are concerned.
the country was virtually under mar
tial law today.
Mussolini possesses the powers of a
commander-in-chief of the army in
time of war. New courts for trial of
crimes against the regime and special
political police force intended to watch
for plots here and abroad are both
controlled by the Fascist militia. Mus
solini is doubly in command, as min
lister of the interior and commander
Of the militia.
Having added the ministry Of the
interior to his already enormous re-
sponsibilities the premier more deep
Fly entrenched in power than ever be-
fore, called upon his cohorts to sup
port him in carrying into effect two
of his favorite maxims-"two eyes
for one eye and for one tooth an en-
tire set of teeth" and "the best way
to defend is to attack"
Loyalty to BE Tested.
The wheat among the cohorts Is to
be separated from the chaff, however.
The grand council of the Fascist party
the supreme instrument Of the re-
gime. decided today to authorize Secre-
tary General Turatt to carry out a
systematic purging of the ranks Of all
members not giving absolute proof Of
their faithfulness to ''the original
Fascist spirit"
Moreover, the Fascist ranks will
not be permitted to take matters into
their own hands. The council has or.
dered an immediate cessation of the
movement started at Padua and
Parma to institute special secret po-
litical police and compile lists Of ell
emies of the regime for special sur.
veillance by local blackshirtS.
In addition to being commander-tn-
chief OF the militia, Mussolini now is
premier, foreign minister. minister OF
interior, minister OF marine. minister
of aviation and minister of labor.
The national council has approved
all the drastic measures which the
cabinet. sitting under the presidency
now go to the Chamber of Deputies,
especially convoked Tuesday.
Retroactive Clause Beaten.
They included death for attempts to
in1ure or mOleSt the premier or mem
bers Of the royal family by word or
deed. or to conspire against the re-
gime: heavy penalties for direct or in.
direct opposition; the creation Of DO
litical police to watch the activities of
anti-Facists at home or abroad, and
suspension Of licenses Of all anti-Fas.
c1st newspapers and periodicals.
Only the establishment Of a retroac.
tive death penalty for those responsible
for previous attempts against the life
Of Mussolini failed Of enactment by
the grand council. 1t is understood
that Minister of Justice Rocco in.
sisted that approval would be at vari.
ance with all the legal tradition of
Italy.
Police dead lines similar to those
used successfully in the Sicilian cam
pa1gn against the Black Hand will be
spread throughout Italy and her col
onies as a weapon against the en-
emies Of the Fascist regime. accord.
ing to competent political circles
which are busy interpreting yester-
days DEGREES.
The case Of each italian now
abroad will be examined separately to
decide whether to confirm the pass.
port he now holds or withdraw it, In
the latter event. the holder will be
forced to return to Italy or suffer
heavy penalties.