At the First Fascist Female Congress
By Benito Mussolini
(Excerpts)
... The attempt to sever Mussolini from Fascism or Fascism from Mussolini is the most useless, ridiculous and grotesque attempt that could be conceived. I am not so proud as to say that I and Fascism are one single identity; but four years of history have now clearly shown that Mussolini and Fascism are two aspects of the same thing, are two bodies and one soul or two souls in a single body. I cannot forsake Fascism, because I have created it, I have reared it, I have strengthened and I have chastened it, and I still hold it in my fist, always! ... I assure you, my dear friends, that all these little vipers, all these politicians will be bitterly disappointed.
... I prefer to march on continually, day by day, in the Roman way, in the way of Rome who is never reconciled to defeat; of Rome who welcomed Terentius Varro coming from Cannae, although she knew that he had given battle against the opinion of Consul Paulus Aemilius and was, in a certain degree, responsible for the defeat; of Rome who after Cannae forbade matrons to sally forth, so that their grief-stricken bearing should not shake the strength of the citizens; of this Rome who re-wrote continually the chapters of her history, who found in every ill-success the incentives to endurance, to steadfastness, to strengthen her spirits, to harden her nerves, to light the flame of passion! This is the Rome of whom we dream; the Rome in whom all hierarchies are respected, those of strength, beauty, intelligence, and human kindness; the Rome who struck hard at her enemies, but then raised them up again and made them share her great destiny; the Rome who left the utmost liberty to the beliefs of her subject-peoples, provided only that they obeyed her!
Giuseppe Mazzini used to say that power is but the unity and perseverance of all efforts put together. Well, Italian power, Fascist power, the power of all the new generations which expand in this superb spring of our life and history, will be the result of the unity of our efforts, of the tenacity of our work. After all, what do Fascists ask for? They are not ambitious or factious. They have the sense of limitation and of their responsibility. And I am sure of interpreting your thought, the deep craving of your soul, if I say that Fascists, from the first to the last, from the leaders to the led, ask only one thing: To serve with humility, with devotion, with steadfastness, our beloved Fatherland: Italy!
