Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-07-10
PLOT TO
BURN ETERNAL CITY
Loyal Government Troops Fire
on the Conspirators.
FOOD RIOTERS SHOT DOWN
"Sa'u Publca Suprema Lex" Ancient
Roman Motto, Is Applied-Quiet Re-
turns to Florence, but Trouble
Occurs in Other Towns.

Occurs in other Towns.
Rome, July S.-A bolshevik plot to
attack the central part of Rome by
| means of hand grenades and other eX-
! plosives has been exposed by the ar
rest of 16 of the conspiratOrs four
hours before the time fixed for carry
ing out the plans. About tie same
time 80 of the reds mOtOred to Fort
Pratalata, four miles from Rome, and
tried to induce the garrison to join in
| an attack on the Rome market places.
The soldiers fired on the bolshevists
and seized several of them. The 9TH
ers fled. The city remains tranquil.
Quiet has been restored in Florence
and several other cities where disor-
ders have marked the food situation.
Demonstrations against the high
cost of living and against food prof
iteers, however, have occurred in
Milan, Leghorn, Plessandria and Bres-
cia.
Premier Nitti declared to newspaper
men that the sole cause Of the recent
disorders was economic. He appealed
for their support in pacifying the radi-
Gals.
The Italian socialist organizations
have decided against a general strike
for July 20 and 21 as protest aginst
allied Intervention in Russia and Hun
gary.
"PubIic Welfare Supreme Law"
"Salu publica suprema lex" the pub
lie welfare is the supreme law, the an
cient motto of the Romans, is being
applied by the Italian government at
this critical moment of the national
life of Italy.
"The government closed one eye; in
deed, in some cases, both, for so long
that the people took the law in their
own hands," said a leading Italian
statesman.
''They were aiming to give harsh,
but deserved, lesson to profiteers. 1t
was right that the people should pun
ish these who made millions through
the sufferings Of the entire population
which for over four years strained
every nerve in the face of the greatest
struggle of it's history.
"With pitiless energy, however. as
pitiless as it's 1eniency heretofore, the
government now intends to repress
any attempt to transform a just pro-
test into something more serious"
Military Forces Occupy Towns.
Florence has been occupied by mill
tary forces and the machine guns of
the troops were not taken there mere
ly for show. They were used against
mobs and robbers The same thing
has happened at other most rebelliOus
centers, especially at Ancona and
Brestia, where many persons were
wounded.
However, all now is quiet at Flor
ence, as the strike was declared off at
midnight Saturday.
In Genoa, where the uprising against
the cost of living took most orderly
form, the people imposed reduction
in all prices, watched the carrying out
of this order and prevented any vio-
lence against shopkeepers. They In
tervened whenever attempts were
made to ransack shops, putting down
the disorderly elements with much
greater energy than the police ever
used. At Milan the people have pre-
sented an ultimatum, demanding that
90 nJ1 hn of O. IL
ally reduced by Tuesday.
Mob Ransacks Shoe Shops.
A mob ransacked nearly all the shoe
shops at Palermo, the troops being
called too late to prevent pillaging.
When they appeared they were re-
ceived with applause, the crowd shout
ing to the soldiers, "No firing, boys ;
we are not at the front. Here we are
all brothers and are against the vam-
pires who have starved u.s."
From all towns where disorders have
occurred the same report is coming. A
week ago everything could be bought
at high prices, but now the shops are
closed, goods are lacking and moth
ing can be found. Entire families in
many places are in despair to find
something to eat.
Shopkeepers here, learning that the
riots throughout the Romagua district
were spreading to other cities, decided
to reduce prices without waiting to be
forced to that course by mob violence.
The shopkeepers here passed reso-
luton announcing reductions "as a
high and unavoidable patriotic duty
with a view to preventing any con-
fiicts between consumers and shop
keepers or producers, which would be
to the advantage of parties seeking to
benefit by any trouble" No reduc-
tions on luxuries were announced.