Page:Giuseppe Bianchini - The Work of the Fascist Government and the Economic Reconstruction of Italy - tr. Luigi Villari.pdf/14

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moment, as the railways were not paying their way, the railwaymen appeared no longer anxious to own them, and the claim was opportunely altered; instead of «the railways to the railwaymen», it was to be «the income of the railways to the railwaymen», which was more convenient and safer, because it would have enabled the railwaymen collect the revenues without bothering about the expenses.

We have a typical instance of the manner in which the State itself contributed to organize disorder in the fact that no less than 546 railway servants, members of the Red Syndicate (notorionsly a revolutionary body) had at that time free passes, were exempted from all duties and drew their regular salaries and allowances, although it was wellknown that they themselees were the organizers of the daily suspensions of the service. This circumstance was denounced in the Chamber, and the Minister not only took no measures to put an end to the scandal, but did not even utter a word of protest, so that the only result was to arouse the ironical laughter of the Socialist deputies!