The Washington herald., 1920-10-27
ITALIAN COUP
CALLED FARCE
Writer Declares Reported
Uprising Plan Of National
lists Is Impossible.
BY 6UGLIELMo EMANUEL.
Cwashinstsn Herald-PubHe Ledger Service
Special Cable Dispatch.)

Rome, Oct. 26.-The return Of Pre-
mier GIolitti for the reopening OF
parliament should end the idle talk
rampant for some days regarding
coup d'etat which il is said Is con-
templated by the Nationalists with
the support of the military. Among
the various rumors is one that the
coup is scheduled for November 3,
the anniversary of the signing OF
the armistice with Austria, which
was the signal for the close of the
great war, and that eight days later
there is to be organized an attempt
by the Nationalists to seize the gov
ernment and dismiss Giolitti, put
ting in his place a strong willed
general capable of putting down,
with an iron hand, not only the
anarchists, but of stamping out the
Socialistic unrest.
Stories Called Absurd.
It is possible that these stories
may be believed abroad; here they
only cause one to smile, as the
whole strength OF the Nationalist
party amounts to one member in
parliament.
Nationalism is very vocal and er-
presses itself through the daily
newspaper Idea Nazionale, written
by clever, rather hot-headed fellows.
As soon as it was announced that
the government would resame direct
negotiations with the Jugo-Slavs
they accommodated Giolitti, as
they had done before with Signor
Nitti, and started a violent cam
paign against the government. They
accuse some of Giolitti's lieutenants
of coquetting with the moderate So
cialists and of weakness of policy.
They make a sweeping statement
against Giolitti and deny the par
liamentary leaders capacity to es-
tablish order. They offer new lead
ers, "untainted with parliamentary
cowardice." who are capable OF re-
storing discipline.
Leaders Well Known.
Whom these God-sent men are
they do not conceal D'Annunzio is
one, Gen. Caviglia, commander of the
troops on the armistice line, is an
other, and a third is Admiral Milo,
governor OF Dalmatia.
1t is doubted whether the Ma
tionalists have the least authority
for using these names, but they are
popular men of strong personality
which serves their purpose
OF course, the Socialists have
raised an outcry of a reactionary
plot.
The calm observer must have re-
marked that Italian politics lately
have shown a curious weakness for
plot stories and revolutionary
threats. At first the extremists used
to talk about revolution and gave
Russia as an example to impress
the Bourgeois parties. Now those
parties have discovered the fallacy
OF such an argument and, taking a
tip from their opponents, are using
the same tactics against them.
Sick of Disorder.
There is no doubt that the Ma
tionalist exploit takes advantage of
the strong reaction against the
radical exaggerations, as the coun-
try is sick of disorder and is call
ing for a firm government. Premier
Giolitti realized this when he ordered
the arrest of the anarchist leader,
Malatesta, and broke up the Bologna
meeting of anarchists by arresting
thirty-one on the premises. This
would have caused a great commo-
tion in ordinary times, but the
Socialists realize that the pendulum
is swinging against them.
The fury OF the Nationalist at
tack conviRces the Socialists that
Premier Giolitti is not reactionary
enough for the Nationalists and that
law abiding citizens are ralIying
around the constitutional govern
ment to strengthen it against a pos
sible Tory plot.
This has subdued the aggressive
ness of the Socialists and they are
in a defensive attitude now and they
attempt to convince the Bourseoisis
that D'Annunzio should not be
trusted, saying he has firted With
Lenine recently, asking Bokhevist
recognition of Fiume in its fight
against the capitalistic powers, just
as the Bolshevists have been asked
to help Enver Bey and the Turkish
Nationalists.
(Copyright 1920 hv Publin Tadrsr ca