240 THE RISE OF ITALIAN FASCISM
impressive and rapid growth of our numbers which they
hope to see ebbing with the same speed.5 But the Fascist
Party is not like all the other parties. There is no argument,
no formation of c tendencies \ no fear of schism. ' Fascism
is quite different. Its members are first and foremost soldiers.
The party ticket is a mobilization paper. The politico-
military structure is now firmly established. Military
discipline involves political discipline. People are there to
fight and not to argue. With this type of organization the
dangers of proselytism are greatly reduced.5 A year earlier
Mussolini had faced an internal crisis in fascism by backing
the c political' elements against the c military' ; now he
congratulated himself that fascist organization was military
in structure, performance and mentality, as was fitting for
an army of occupation. It was also favoured not only by
the neglect, blindness and self-deception of its adversaries,
but by the concrete support of a combination of interests ;
primarily the landed interests, and, more or less directly
connected, the most reactionary groups of Italian society :
big bankers—especially the shadier sort, heavy industry—
armament manufacturers in particular, some sections of
the army, and the Vatican.
Between August and the beginning of October the energies
of the fascist movement were completely absorbed in turning
to account the immediate results of its victory over the
general strike. In Genoa Senator Ronco, president of
the Consortium of the Port, ended by resigning, and the
government approved the work of the fascist Committee of
Action. On August 15 the municipal council of Cremona
was dissolved. A month earlier the first Facta cabinet had
been turned out of office for not saving the town from
fascist violence ; now the second Facta cabinet sanctioned
this violence with the decree of dissolution. Two weeks later
Milan suffered the same fate ; there also the state merely
* legalized * the occupation of the Palazzo Marino.1 At the
end of the month came the turn of Treviso, which the
fascists had attacked in July, ig2i.2 At the beginning of
September the fascists took two strategic positions which
were to help them in their march on Rome : Terni, in
1 P. 227. * p. 149.