170 THE RISE OF ITALIAN FASCISM
go off again, armed, in their lorries, passing unmolested
under the windows of the police-station, where a report was
being drawn up, explaining that a thorough search had
failed to reveal anything that would justify the prefect taking
any steps.
The government realized that the measures they had taken
were useless and contemplated abolishing the squads by
decree. As soon as the fascist leaders had wind of this they
got their blow in first, and on December 15, 1921 they issued
the following order :
4 To all sections of the party ! To all squadre di com-
battimento ! There is a rumour in the press of an imminent
attack by the government on fascism. . . . Party sections
and squadre di combattimento make up an indivisible whole.
After December 15, 1921, all members of sections will
join squads. . . . The dissolution of the squadre di combatti-
mento thus becomes an impossibility, unless the govern-
ment first outlaws the entire National Fascist Party.'
Such was their challenge : the government wanted to
dissolve the squads, but the whole party belonged to them ;
let them dissolve the party if they dare. The government
obviously would not dare. Its leader, Bonomi, had been
elected in Mantua in May, on a national coalition list which
included the fascists. He issued more and more regulations,
which everybody ignored. The fascists had staked boldly
and the state gave way. At the same time the internal
crisis of fascism was brought nearer to a solution by the
common danger which united ' sections 5 and c squads3.
Instead of breaking up, thereby giving Mussolini and his
friends a chance to join the state, towards the end of the
year fascism had united against the state.