Evening star., 1920-09-19
BY EDGAR ANsEL MowRER.
By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright. 1920.


By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright. 1870.
MILAN, September 17.-Bolshevism
has received a complete setback,
demonstrating that Italy is not Rus
sia. The stage when the labor dele
gates met seemed set for a revoiu-
ton. Half a million workers in pos
session of mills and factories could
he dislodged only by armed force, IN e
~. al authority of the state had
ceased to exist, the prime minister
refused to take any action, the gov :
ernment was neutral. the hdehty OF
the army was problematical, the new
conscripts went to their barracks
singing revolutionary songs, the
workers had fortified their ~stab-
lishments, machine guns on the roofs
dominated the streets and men sup
piled with hand grenades had in sew
erai places kidnapped engineers and ex-
bosses and forced them to work
The entire industrial life OF ltaly
reyolves around the cities of Turin.
Milan and Genoa. These places were
practically in the hands of the work
ers, who in thousands of factories
had only to join the metal WORKERS
10 paralyze the north. The owners
were thoroughly frightened Aireaus
many had removed their money
stocks and other valuables TO spots
near the Swiss frontier in readiness
for flight if it became necessary
Meeting under these conditions. tne
workers listened to the lmpassioHeu
rhetoric of boishevists and anarchlsts'
who were nomnaly in control, ana then
voted to uphold the conservative iaDoT
leaders This means that a majority OF
the workers, having to choose between
war and peace. chose peace Iney
admitted the need of the co-opera.'oi,
of the factory owners ana oniy asheu
for esentation on the board OF
directors of each concern. rms Il
.ha principle the owners are now
asked to accept
Workers Thinking Hard.
Partisans. of direct action point to
the triumph of their ideas. but the
workers are thinking twice oe1ore
taking q step toward changing tne
silent revolution into civil war or
attempting the exclusive manage
ment Of business for which they
lack intellectual preparation. raw
materials and ready cash. The metal
workers. who with their famiiieS
number more than 1,0OO.00O persons.
have drawn no pay for two weeks
and the money in the company safes
has proved insignificant.
The payroll of the Fiat Company
alone ran into the millions and only
200, 900 lire (nominally $40.000) was
found in its safe. The sale of finished
goods has been attempted. but few
customers have been discovered.
Soon 100000 persons will be facing
famine. Only famine or an attempt
by soldiers with artillery to eject
them from the factories could yet
force the men into red bolshevism.
The great decision rests with the
owners. who are meeting daily. Opin--
ion among them is divided. One group
has declared for unyielding resistance
in the name Of property. Rather
than give up our factories" they say,
I'VE will withdraw to Switzerland and
live on the money we made during
the war. The communist experiment
is sure to fail. We shall return in a
month or a year, stronger than be-
fore. having saved the principles of
property and order"
Situation Is Chaotic.
Believing that it cannot count on
government support. and anxious to
avert bloody experiment. the other
group would accept the workers de-
mand for joint management The
Last December Gfolitti favored a mo-
tion in the chamber which sanctioned
soint administration. He has refused
TO use the army or the police to re-
store the factories to the owners.
tance of the movement, he came north
at a time which might have been
critical Now he has returned to
Rome. His attitude is apparently ia
vorable to the workers. but it seems
contrary to the socialist program to
call the chamber into session imme-
diately.
Labor and conservative socialist
leaders are striving day and night to
reach a settlement. Deputy Turati
told me today that the situation was
chaotic. If the owners refused Joint
management only temporary govern
ment control could save the metal
workers from hunger. The metal
workers under the advice of extrem-
lists might refuse to admit the gov
eminent agents intO the. facfori as