The War and European Unity

Abstract

Right Honourable Gentlemen, I beg permission to speak from the deputies’ bench rather than from the ranks of government. The halls of government are the place where political speeches are delivered and political battles are fought. By contrast, these words of mine seek to be a humble appendix of historical considerations drawing inspiration from the great speech made by Benedetto Croce a few days ago, in which he pronounced a solemn historical verdict on the treaty that the will of others imposed on us. I further beg permission to allow my eyes to follow the lines of the manuscript I have prepared, venturing to diverge from my usual custom, so that no emotion springing from an extemporaneous delivery may blur an expression of thought which must, today, be carefully meditated.

Speech delivered to the Constituent Assembly in the session of 29 July 1947.