ITALY: Bomb

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For the third time in a twelvemonth Death darted a sable claw last week at Benito Mussolini. He had just returned to Rome from attending military maneuvers in Umbria with King Vittorio Emanuele. Having spent the night at his sumptuous suburban residence, a villa lent by Count Torlonia, Signor Mussolini breakfasted frugally, set off for his office at 10 a. m.

One Gino Lucetti, a pale young man dressed in a neat brown suit, awaited the Premier's car at the Porta Pia. His slightly bulging coat pockets held four hand grenades which he had saved from the days when he fought for Italy in the World War. One trouser pocket was full of dumdum bullets. The other held a dumdum-loaded revolver and 60 lire ($22) in small bills.

As Signor Mussolini's limousine swept through the city gate, Signor Lucetti hurled a hand grenade. Well aimed, it struck the glass behind which sat Il Duce. The glass splintered, tinkled, held just sufficiently so that the bomb glanced to the roadway, exploded, hurtled stones and splinters which wounded eight bystanders and deeply scarred the back of the Premier's limousine, by then 30 feet away.*

Both Calm. Dictator Mussolini and his would-be assassin both retained a glacial calm. The Premier sat quietly in his car and received an ovation with immobile features while his chauffeur changed a tire punctured by a splinter from the bomb.

Would-be-Assassin Lucetti, dragged by the police from a mob which was trying to lynch him, said quietly: "I am an anarchist. I came from Paris to kill Mussolini. I was born in Italy. I have no accomplices."

The Premier, continuing to his office in the Palazzo Chigi, sat down unemotionally at a typewriter and personally typed off his deposition of facts concerning the attempted crime for the police. To newsgatherers who sought him he said: "Ha! For once you gentlemen have 'copy' enough? Tell foreigners who take an interest in me and all Italians abroad, that bombs explode, but Mussolini tranquilly remains at his post, facing any danger, because this is his precise duty."

Signor Lucetti, jailed, said to the police: "Don't ask me so many questions at once. I am tired. Wait a bit. Give me a glass of water and a cigaret and I will answer all your questions." One hundred percent white Nordics who had supposed that Latins are perpetually emotional were puzzled.

Pronouncements. The Pope, informed of Premier Mussolini's escape by Monsignor Pizzarde, acting secretary of State, was quoted as having exclaimed with emotion "Thank God!"

From the Directorate of the Fascist Party came a proclamation which was posted upon billboards throughout the nation:

"Again God has saved Italy! Mussolini is unhurt. From his post of command, to which he returned immediately with the superb calm which no event can change, he has given us the order: No reprisals.

"Black Shirts, you must obey the orders of the chief, who alone has the right to judge and to indicate the line of conduct. We offer to him who resists intrepidly this new proof of our unlimited devotion:

" 'Long live Italy! Long live Mussolini!' "