New Britain herald., 1927-01-07
Refuses To Take Precautions

And they have tried to put me tc all sorts of inconveniences, such as changing my hours, taking a diff ferent route or having me go to one ministry one day and another the next, making out of me a sort of merry go-round. But their propos- als met with categorical no. My hours are fixed. the same every day. At o'clock. I arrive at the min istry of the interior and work until two. l then leave for lunch and am back at three. at the ministry of for eign affairs, working then until ten, then back home again.
 When I live at Villa Torlonia, on the outskirts of Rome, the route goes along Via Nomentana, Corso d'Italia, Via Neneto and Via Tritone to Palazzo Chigi. It is a pleasant ride and my thoughts travel the whole distance with the route. have watched the rise of new build ings, the day by day progress on the construction Of the ministry of public works until Its completion, the playing of children. many of whom I have learned to know by sight so often have seen them passing. I have seen the workmen repair the streets and I am given over during the ride to enjoying the incidents and curiosities of the day. Every dweller along the route knows me and the @ act hour I will pass. I think of people, of birds. horses, the blossoming Of the flowers in spring. the falling of the leaves in the autumn, sunshine, rain. Danger. never!
 And, just as l am an eXemplar for my fascist cohorts. I am an exem- plar, too, in the traffic. My chauf- feur, Hercules by name, has the speed limit. I am insistent that no favor shall be shown my car because the premier rides in 1t, My car takes it's turn at the crossings; it can never dodge around to the side to get past another; 1t must always be in it's right line and take It's chance with the traffic. While I am speed CT myself in the country. in the city where there are municipal ordin- ances to be obeyed. they must be obcyed even by the premier.
 ,"The League of the Silent"
 Hercules knows this and obeys it well. He, too. like all my servants is silent. They have joined an or ganization which I founded. the league of the silent.' Hercules and I have not exchanged a hundred words In four years. He knows where to go and what to do and is very skillful chauffeur. He is one of the most courageous men I have ever seen and endowed with sang froid that is admirable. My great est confidence is reposed in his abil- ity to handle my machine.
 I shall never forget him when the bomb was hurled at the machine last September. He was as calm as if it were simple puncture. As soon as he realized that there was bomb about and then heard the loud report, he put his foot on the accelerator and away we raced to Palazzo Chigi. escaping second bomb which young Lucetti the wou'd-be assassin. had in his pos session.
 Of course. they all say that 1t would be the easiest thing in the world to shoot me. They have surely tried but there has always been a mystic something which has intervened between me and death. Ant, while my daily rides 10 the of- fic> are done in the greatest free dom, I increase that freedom when I am present at a ceremony. There I may speak and should one in his evil chicancry try to shoot me, I am there a perfect target Not alone do I speak for a second or two.