The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-06-08
N!BDR STRIKES IN ITALY
Government Acts When Com
fort of Public is Embarrassed.
A SOClALISTIC FORMULA
u Necessary Troops Do the Work of
the Strikers-Labor Leaders If
Caught Urging Strike Can Be
Arrested on the CHARGE Of

Sviop'l dCys
- While the Commonwealth of Aus.
tralia has met with Indifferent sue
cess in attempting to make strikes i'm
possible through enforced arbitration,
II is worth while tC observe politico-
economic paradox in Italy--the appli-
cation of a Socialstic formula by a
constitutional monarchy with the
same end in view.
The Socialistic principle that public
rights should never be infringed or
menaced or trespassed upon by indi.
vfdual claims or by the claims Of an
aggregation of individuals has repeat
edly been used by successive Govern
ments in the peninsula to render
naught what might otherwise have
been achieved by strikes. Whether it
be desirable or not for a Government
to intervene and prevent a strike
which might cause inconvenience or
suffering to large disinterested bodies
Of citizens. and possibly bloodshed, is
beyond the question. AS a matter of
fact, the Italian Government inter-
venes and has prepared itself by
legislation so to intervene whenever
the opportunity offers. The method
Of procedure is very simple.
Last Summer, when the labor lead
ers who inaugurated the shipping
strike at Marseilles attempted to
bring about sympathetic strike in
Genoa, they were informed by the
leaders in the latter city that such
action would cause their arrest on the
charge of conspiracy. The principle
applied here was that, although the
Government recognizes the right of
the individual to dispose of his labor
as he may see fit, united body of
individuals attempting to dispose of
their labor in such a manner as to be-
come a public menace constitutes
conspiracy.
In other industries and even in pro-
fessions the Government is enabled
to act more directly In the Northern
railways, operated by the State, the
employees are all members of the
army. Their grievances, when they
have them, may be presented through
proper official channels. A small num-
Der of railway employees attempting
to enforce their demands by strik-
ing would be regarded as deserters
from the army and dealt with accord
ngly. A large number of strikers
would he held accountable as mutt
neers." If martial law were to be pro-
claimed throughout the district where
these "desertions" and "mutinies"
were taking place, the leaders of them
would be liable to be punished for
the crime of high treason.
In the Southern railways, which. al
though subsidized by the Government,
are not yet operated by it, the en-
ployes are reservists, who may at any
time be called into the service of the
Government,
In these industries more remotely
removed from the Government di-
rection or supervision, the State may
employ another method so that public
welfare may not be made to suffer
on account of differences between the
employer and the employed. A few
years ago there was strike on the
street car lines of Rome. At another
time the bakers struck. In each case,
as the parties most directly interested
declined to allow the Government to
arbitrate, the Government installed
troops as conductors, drivers, and
bakers, so that the public should not
suffer or even be inconvenienced while
employer and employees fought our
their differences in their own manner
In the same way the army furnished
skilled pressmen and compositors
when there was a strike on several
Roman papers two years ago.
A more interesting problem pre-
serted itself in 1875, when the physi-
clans and attendants in the Roman
hospitals threatened TO go on strike.
Here was a case that demanded
prompt action so that the public
charges in the hospitals should not
suffer. On the morning Of the very
day that the strike was to take place
every physician received a messenger
from the War Office bearing him a
commission as Lieutenant, Captain, or
Major, detailed to the hospital Of
Rome" A General officer placed him
self at the elbow of each hospital
director, and orders to the medical
and surgical staff were issued in army
fashion. A strike in these circum.
stances would have caused every ply
sician or surgeon taking part in it
to be tried by court martial on the
charge Of 'desertion." Should proc
lamation Of martial law have been
deemed necessary by the Government
the "deserters" would then have been
treated as traitors"
The remarkable Socialistic demon.
strations throughout Northern italy
that occurred last Autumn owed its
short duration and ludcrous ending
to the fact that the Government was,
according to the above illustrations.
prepared to employ energetic meas
ures in every department of industry
in which strike was taking place
In this way successive Governments
In Italy have protected the public well
fare and maintained public peace. and
AIE Ia l..