NITTI, GIOLITTI, DON STURZO 63
threatened. Salandra had incited the fascists and nationalists
against him, and had given them the freedom of the streets.
It was Giolitti's wish to return to power., combine with
the socialists, carry out a number of political, economic
and fiscal reforms and finally restore order in the country.
He tolerated Nitti and even lent him his supporters, but he
looked upon him as a lieutenant who would give way to
him when he was ready. Nitti had quite different views.
On October 12, 1919, before the general elections, Giolitti
set out his claims to power in his famous speech at Dronero.
This largely consisted of a devastating tirade against the
Italian ruling class, c against the impudent minorities, the
witless and soulless governments that had dragged a nation
into war against its will', against those who had ' flung
Italy blindly into war, without well-defined agreements on
political and colonial questions, without even realizing the
existence of her economic, financial, commercial, or in-
dustrial needs 5. After enumerating Italy's losses in life and
wealth, Giolitti launched his own programme : to make
every effort in foreign affairs to render another war im-
possible ; to call upon all nations to join the League ; to
take advantage of international working-class solidarity ;
to abolish secret diplomacy, and leave to parliaments alone
the right of declaring war and making peace. As for the
past, he looked forward to immediate official inquiries on
the subject of war-time responsibilities, the use to which
plenary powers had been put, the way in which large
contracts had been ordered and carried out, * to show the
country how billions of money had been wasted '. To meet
the financial crisis he proposed the abolition of military
expenditure, a graduated tax on total income and on
inheritance, and an extraordinary levy on capital, especially
war profits. He launched a violent attack on the forces of
reaction, * which', he said, c can prevail no longer, since
the privileged classes of society, which led humanity into
disaster, can no longer rule the whole world alone ; its
destiny must lie henceforth in the hands of the people '.
This speech raised a great hullabaloo in the nationalist
and conservative press. Nitti hastened to oppose such a
programme, especially the inquiry-into the war, which would