"Authority, Order, Justice!"

Eight hundred prominent Fascisti, the acknowledged hierarchy of the Party, marched into the hoary Palazzo Venezia at Rome last week and furiously applauded Dictator Mussolini as he uttered more than honeyed words. "It is the simple truth," cried Il Duce, as he launched into his oration, "that the hierarchy of our Party is composed of honest men who deserve the esteem of the nation!"

Complacently the honest men smirked, but they did not relax. They knew that tart, vital words would follow the fulsome compliment. Two days previously Il Duce had given his Cabinet the most dramatic shaking up in the history of his regime. He had kicked himself out of seven* of the eight Cabinet ministries he previously held --retaining only the portfolio of Interior and of course the Prime Ministry. Wildest rumors were current as to what this might portend: 1) That he had negotiated a secret pact of union between Italy and Hungary and was clearing his decks to become Supreme Chancellor of this dual realm; 2) That he was preparing to proclaim Italy an empire and would have bandy-legged little King Vittorio Emanuele crowned Emperor by His Holiness Pope Pius XI; 3) That he planned, perhaps most sensationally of all, to become like other Prime Ministers, to exercise only a general supervision over the State. Eagerly the Fascist hierarchy waited for a definitive statement from Il Duce. It came straight as a lightning stroke: "No one will make the unpardonable mistake of thinking my ministerial changes mean any change in the policy of my Government ! Never before have I felt so strongly all the living actuality of the Fascist doctrine by which the state is centered in one person who is complete master. Some idolaters call this a 'Dictatorship' and proudly we acknowledge it!" Evidently Benito was only exercising once more his taste and genius for amateur theatricals. "For the 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity' of the French Revolution," he roared, "the Fascist Revolution substituted, 'Authority, Order. Justice'!" His great speech -- heralded by the Fascist press for over a month along with rumors of "Empire" -- turned out to be a little more than an especially fervent assurance that he will continue dictating. Observers turned their attention to the seven men whom the Prime Minister appointed, last week, to the Cabinet posts he had vacated.

Grandi. First of the seven is theatrically handsome Dino Grandi--he of the luminous eyes, by turns smouldering or aflame--he of the virile, bursting beard. Appointed Foreign Minister last week, Signer Grandi was promoted from Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs. During the past few years he has been the actual representative of Italy before the League of Nations and at important international gatherings like The Hague Conference. He has gone everywhere while Il Duce has not stirred out of Italy--doubtless fearing assassination. Thus Signor Grandi has been for a long time de facto Foreign Min- ister. Now he may revel in honors of rank at last due him. Three Quadrumvirs. Three members of the famed Quadrumvirate who strode with II Duce on the March to Rome in 1922, when he seized power, were given Cabinet posts last week. General Emilio De Bono, veteran of the Lybian and World Wars received the important Ministry of Colonies. General Italo Balbo, the leading Italian authority on military aviation, a clever flyer, a keen observer who visited the U. S. last year, was made Minister of Aviation. Michele Bianchi, one of Signor Mussolini's oldest friends and colleague of the days when they both edited Socialist newspapers, received the Ministry of Public Works.*

Three Underdogs Up. The other three ministries vacated by Il Duce were all entrusted to men who held the corresponding under-secretaryships up to last week. General Pietro Gozzera, who served with Italy's Chief of Staff during the World War, becomes Minister of War. Rear Admiral Giuseppe Siriani, one of the most brilliant and successful seadogs in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911-12 gets the Marine Ministry. Finally the Ministry of Corporations goes to scintillant polemist and war veteran Giuseppe Bottai. As editor of Roma Futurista, Epoca and Giornale di Roma at various times he has had broadest experience with men and masses. As Minister of Corporations he will supervise not great in- dustrial enterprises but the Fascist syndicates or "Corporations" which are really employes' unions and employers' associations. Today with strikes ruled out by Fascist bayonets all Italian labor disputes are settled through the Ministry of Corporations, and Ex-Editor Mussolini has paid the highest compliment to Ex-Editor Bottai by giving him the job.

* Foreign Affairs, War, Marine, Aviation, Colonies, Public Works, Corporation. *The fourth Quadrumvir is Count de Vecchi. He got no Cabinet post. Instead, some time ago, he received the imposing honor of appointment as the Kingdom of Italy's first Ambassador to the new Vatican City.