Bombastic Italian dictator, known as “Il Duce.” Mussolini styled himself in the mold of Roman emperors and had ambitions to match. In the end, he met with the same bloody fate as some of his ancient predecessors, captured and killed by Italian partisans and hung upside down from the girder of a filling station. Unsigned handwritten manuscript, in Italian, twelve pages, 7.5 x 9. An original speech, which was undoubtably the basis for his famous Demanio Agricolo Comunale, his grandiose plan to bring agricultural recovery to Italy. In part, “Today, September 1 of the year 20 of the Facist Era, is the birth of Demanio Agricolo Comunale, as a result of the great increase in the need for food caused by the war and…to bring an end to the remaining difference between the people of the cities and the peasants…[It] is comprised of land…owned by municipalities…preferably in areas adjacent to urban centers…the city population will have a certain quantity of agricultural products, to integrate the needs, to control and fix prices…The DAC will be for every 100,000 inhabitants or fraction…In regard to the management of these horticultural units, the problem is to be solved by the workers…Every municipality will create an office…In a month…every one of you will present to me a report on what has been done and what is yet to be done. Until then, work discreetly.” By the time Mussolini initiated this plan, the war was taking its toll on Italy. Mussolini was quickly losing his credibility, and shortly after making this speech he was removed by force by the Italian Grand Council and imprisoned. Rusty paperclip marks to first and last page and a couple small notations, otherwise fine condition. COA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
