The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-06-23
RIOTING in ITALY
Continued from page one

lett.
At daybreak proclamations signed
by Gen. Spinardi were posted an
nouncing that the city had been. plac-
ed under martial law. To this the
rioters replied by further demonstra-
tions, which the troops made no de-
termined effort to suppress. The
weakness of the government, as DEM
onstrated by its inability or unwlll-
ingness to put down such grave dis
orders, bodies i'll for what will hap
pen in Milan and other Italian cities
if the army should meet with serl-
Gus reverse.
Instead of attempting to prevent
news of these disorders reaching the
foreign press the Italian government
owes it to it's allies to explain why
they are permitted to proceed un-
checked, and to give assurances that
they will not occur again. The peo-
ple of Milan, who have long boasted
of being the most cultured and pro-
gressive in Italy, have reason to be
heartily ashamed.
In the repressive measures which
she has adopted since the declaration
of war Italy can give points to Rus
sia. It is officially announced that
all letters entering or leaving the
country will be opened. The parcels
post has been discontinued. So has
the !nterurban telephone service. Tel
egrams are taken only at the send
er's risk, which means that most OF
them will not be sent. Any foreigner
without a permit de sejour, which
contains, among other useless infor-
nation, the maiden name of the bear
er's mother, is subject to arrest and
Imprisonment.
The blinds of railway carriages
must be drawn, and no ,one is per-
mitted to look out. Because raised
curtain of my compartment to get a
breath. Of fresh air a gendarme
threatened me with arrest. Every one
conversing in any language but 1tal-
ian is assumed to be a spy until ne
can prove he is not.
At a music hall which I attended IN
Rome the other night there was a
small riot because an American saXo-
phone artist played an air from 1.-The
Merry Widow" Not until the audi
ence began to tear up the chairs did
he realize that it was written in Aus
tria. To show a light in your bed
room window at night sufflces to
start a rumor that you are signaling
to German airmen. The great tour
ist hostelries in Naples, Rome and
Florence are like morgues. The tour
ist industry, ON which Italy has SO
long depended, is of course at a
standstiil.
l have never seen such appalling
poverty in Italy, and I have known
that country for many years. II the
people are suffering now, Heaven
knows what will be their condition
when the war is over. If l had my
choice between living in Italy under
present conditions and serving. term
in the Elmira Reformatory, think
would choose Elmira.
The authorities have clapped on q
press censorship which makes the
French and British efforts appear
crude and amateurish. The general
staff regards this as it's own private
war, and the people will know just
what. it wants them to know, and nc
more.
All the government wants the pee,
pie to do is to provide men and
money and ask no questions. The
ministry of war has announced tina,
any correspondent sending military
information will spend the next siz
years in prison.
If the Italian army is victorious
the people will learn of it through
official bulletins. If it meets with
disaster, the news will come from
Vienna AS things stand now, there
is about as much chance OF a cor
respondents getting to the front as
there is of a suffra gette being elect
ed to congress.
Extraordinary precautions have
been taken to protect works OF art II
the cities of northern Italy. The
delicately built arches of the Doges
Palace in Venice have been bricked
I'D to prevent their destruction in
the event OF bombardment by war.
ships or aeroplanes. The famous
bronze horses have been taken down
and put in place of safety.
The pictures and statuary in the
Venice galleries have been trans
ferred 70 Florence. The harbor has
been mined and preparations have
been made to blow up the banks OF
the canals. I am informed, by the
way. that Marconi is in the Venice
arsenal perfecting inventions for use
against submarines and aircraft.
The stained glass windows, which
are the glory of Milan Cathedral,
have been removed. The gilded fig
ure of the Madonna on the roof,
which can be seen for many miles,
has been covered with cloth gar
ment, and many statues are being
taken down.
Italy is as proud Of her army as
a boy of a new rifle, and as anxious
to try It. She made many sacrifices
to get it and it must not be left
unused. 1t is this feeling, indeed,
which was one of the chief factors
in bringing on war. The common
people fail utterly to realize the
blood and misery which lies before
them. There is none of the sober
ness which is stamped on every face
in France.
From the standpoint Of equipment
the army is a delight to the eye.
The uniform is the field gray OF the
German army, and this gray has
even been carried out in the leather
equipment of the officers, who. how
ever, strikes me as having sacrificed
efficiency to smartness. They will
look quite differently after a few
weeks of campaigning.
Though the educated classes re-
gard this adventure on which Italy
has embarked with grave forebod-
ings; though the king opposed it to
the last: the people demanded it.
and against that demand no govern.
ment could have held out and lived.
Everywhere one hears the people
shouting ".Avanti! Avanti! Italia"
Well, I hope so. but I'm not sure.
Villa Releases Americans.