The sun., 1902-03-02
CIVIL war WAS NEAR1N ITALY
GOVERNMENT WARNED IN TINE
TO CRUSH SOCIALIST PLOT.
All Railroads werc to he Tied Up. but
Deputy Morsanis Haste Exposed Plan
Light Thrown on Europes Eco
nomic Coalition by Recent Outbreaks.
Special Gable Despatch 10 THE sun.

uouhc SOutuuOu ny Ncceut OutOTeuhs.
Special Gable Despatch 10 THE sun.
LONDON, March 1.-The world at large
has been kept In ignorance Of the fact that
a civil war-possibly q successful revolu-
tion-in Italy has been escaped by the
narrowest margin In the past few days.
The only news sent abroad has been Of the
mobilization Of nearly 100000 troops, and
the Government assumption OF control on
oil the railroads in order to avert a national
strike Of railroad employees. The far
greater truth was suppressed partly by
the censorship and partly by official inti-
nations to foreign correspondents that the
transmission Of alarmist reports would be
followed by severe disciplinary measures.
Italy is in the presence Of Socialist
plot Of enormous proportions. The So
cialist leaders have within a year organ
lied all the popular forces Of the country,
while the Government, strangely enough,
has not attempted any interference, being
apparently ignorant of the real objects
OF the movement. A Chamber Of Labor
was created in every town and a great
number OF Leagues OF Resistance. Each
class Of workmen has its league, and each
league obeys the local chamber.
Nearly all the workmen In Italy and a
large proportion OF the agriculturists were
gradually enrolled until the leagues them.
selves numbered 10000 and the total men,
bership more than a million. The whole
Of this organization is under the control
OF Central Committee In Rome, which Ia
actually the Parliamentary Socialist body.
The group gained such strength that it
was within its power to send a million men
into open revolt and paralyze in twenty
four hours the industrial. commercial and
agricultural life Of the country.
A correspondent, who. In defiance Of the
warning Of the authorities, sent a telegram
from the Swiss frontier last night, says:
THE Central Committee was to have
given the word for action on Friday when
a general strike on all the Italian railways
was to be begun. The revolutionary plans
were upset by the stupid haste Of Signor
MorRani. the Socialist Deputy for Turin,
who six days before the appointed date
ordered a general strike in that city. This
opened the eyes of the Government and
by the prompt mobilization of the entire
personnel of the railway system Of the
country, 10 600 men, and the calling To the
coors of the reservists OF the>-Slass of
1873, numbering 90 600 men, two formidable
blows were dealt at tho revolutionists. un-
der which they are still staggering. The
Government next by decree dissolved all
the Chambers of Labor and all the Leagues
of Resistance; and to-day the plotters are
reduced to what the Government hopes
may prove to be permanent inaction.'
From all OF which II may be seen that
the Italian revolutionists are not made
OF very stern stuff They showed some
grit, however. at Turin ana that important
city was practically ia the hands Of the
mob from Saturday morning to Monday
night. During the period an immense
amount of damage was done to property.
The trouble commenced with a general
strike of gas workers. Other trades joined
in, and the bowling mob Of from 1900 TO
10000 men and women with Morgari at
their head paraded the streets, overturn-
ing tramcars. lampposts and carriages
and smashing windows and pillaglng
shops Troops were hurried into the
city until by Monday afternoon there were
25,OO0 soldiers under arms. Then the
rioters were taken in hand seriously. The
cavalry made many wild charges and
200 rioters were badly hurt and at least
/. 900 arrested, the bulk OF whom are still
in prison. 1t was big job and suggests
what might have happened had the scenes
in Turin been simultaneously enacted all
over Italy.
1t is impossible to regard this serious
situation in Italy and the still greater out
breaks of violence at Trieste. Bucharest
and Barcelona as a mere coincidence
They constitute as a whole an indication
of the economic condition Of Europe which
Is far more alarming than is generally
imagined.
The Spectator does not exsggerate to-day
when it says: We believe that a wave
Of commercial depression has struck the
whole Continent, being most visible TO out
siders in Germany, and that in the south
where the margin Of comfort is always
thin, the wave produces intense suffering
State taxation Is heavy and municipal
rates are cruel and unfairly levied. Wages
are low compared with the price OF food.
Debts for rent accumulate and at last the
leaders Of the workmen. seeing the despair
Of their followers and filled with the idea
that il is all the fault OF the rich and power
full, order strikes as tho best means of mani
Testing the unbearableness Of the situation.
That means for the industrial masses sim
pie, II temporary, starvation
1hc spectator IL extremely pesslmlstlc
regarding the outlook and possible reme-
dies It's most significant remark is: THE
true doctrine Of commerce that IL you would
sell you must buy or go without being paid,
can no more be driven into the head OF a
Continental than into that OF an American.
II is unnecessary to point out 10 observant
Americans that in these days Of the tre-
mendous expansion Of the American trade
this crisis in Europe Is of more concern to
them than TO any other country not directly
involved.
The Spectator concludes: The popula-
ton OF Europe constantly increases. The
OF Asia Is visibly beginning.
The rush from the land to industrislism
never ceases. And Il may well be that more
IL produced than the world will consume
at price leaving any profit. That has
happened already as regards wheat, and
we see no reason In the nature Of things
why the industrial should not one day over
stock his market as well as the agriculturist
The present mad rage for new markets,
even IL they are to be acquired by the sword,
seems to indicate that the experts OF trade
agree with us in this opinion