THE GAPORETTO OF SOCIALISM l8l
Banchelli, an opposition fascist, explains that the existence
of rival fasci at Florence did not hinder the good work.
c Relentless blows were still struck at the socialists and
communists. There was even a joint expedition to Pisa.
The provincial council was turned out and the red guards
put to flight. We fought like mad, I remember, and the
two fasci acquitted themselves with equal credit.' Men who
have killed together, burned houses, terrorized whole
country-sides could not stop or separate. To commit crimes
at top speed became a law, for one crime could only be
washed out by another. The bond uniting the aggressors
was not their own blood, which was seldom spilled, but the
blood of their victims. Feeling that nothing could quench
the hatred in which they were held, they went to all lengths,
for they knew that once they hesitated, once their enemy
was given a breathing-space, they were lost.
Mussolini, sustained by so many interests, hopes and
supporters, had no difficulty in dealing with the last echo
of the party crisis, between February and April, 1922. A
letter addressed to the secretary of the party by Piero
Marsich, head of the Venice fascio and an opposition fascist
ofc fascism of the first hour ' principles, was published at the
beginning of February in the journal of the Fiume legionaries.
In this letter Marsich revived the theme of the divergence
between parliamentary and national interests, and blamed
Mussolini for advocating in an interview a coalition govern-
ment led by Giolitti. c Under the pretext of avoiding a
Nitti-socialist collaboration, is the Italy of Carso and Fiume
to deliver herself into the hands of the man who opposed
the war and betrayed us at Rapallo ? ' He also proclaimed
that d'Annunzio was the c only great Italian ' and inveighed
against ' the iniquitous hegemony of a man * who was
forcing his politician's tricks on to the party. This was
published in the Popolo d* Italia on March 7. Mussolini, who
was then in Germany, broke off his journey at once and
returned to Milan to deal with this ' wretched attempt at
secession'. The National Council of the party met at the
beginning of April and unanimously disavowed Marsich,
who was deserted even by his friends.
The same occasion served to frustrate opposition from