The New York herald., 1921-07-03
Future of Italy's Fascist.

me part played by the Fascist In
meeting the tyranny of radicalism
in Italy and overthrowing it less
through the force of numbers than
by strong personal appeal to the
national spirit of patriotism, the
power which it displayed in the last
general election and which it is now
exerting upon Italian politics through
the Chamber of Deputies, are so IA
miliar to the world that the almost
unknown history of the origin of the
movement and its rapid growth and
of the activities of the strong per,
sonalities which it attracted, as told
by GIUsEPPI PREzzoLINI in the Con
temporary ReUieW, Is particularly
timely. His definition of the move
ment Is clear and more enlighteninG
than the somewhat vague and eva.
sive statements which have previ.
ously been offered 1t Is, he says, a
reaction of the middle classes begun
in the period following the armisticc
against the Socialists regime of vio
lence in the northern provinces.
This refine was veritable dicta.
torship which had assumed a threat
ening attitude of which the world
outside OF Italy knew little. BY
means of boycotts 1t destroyed per
sonal relationships. A boycotted in
dividual could not live in his own
country; the baker refused him
bread, the tailor and bootmaker
clothes and shoes, the barber would
not shave him, the doctor dared not
attend him In illness, and if he died
his relatives had to carry his body
to the cemetery because the under.
taker would not do so. The church
offerings were automatically taxed
and priests were debarred by violence
from the exercise of their duties
they were even refused passage along
the village roads. Strikes were OF
common occurrence, and the public
service, railroads, tramways, postal
telephone, telegraph and electric ia
cilities were paralyzed at the whim
of this dictatorial rule.
This state OF things was endured
for almost two years and il became TO
the Italian people a most striking
example OF what the nation would
be forced to undergo from the rule
OF the Moscow Soviet. Then the
middle classes, which were the chief
sufferers, determined to act on their
own initiative. The organizations of
Fasci developed spontaneously in
the north and spread rapidly over all
Italy. assuming characteristic re.
gional peculiarities. The first groups
were formed in Trieste and Venezia
Giulia. Then FERNANDO AGNoLErrr,
who had been from the first a firm
friend OF the Allies and had seen dis
tinguished service in the war; AT.
TuTo SUsr, OF the Socialist Reform
party, and BENITo MussoLIvI, once
an extreme Socialist, Joined the move.
ment. They were all young men of
action. whose patriotism was unques-
toned and who quickly drew around
them large circle of active sympa-
thizers and co.workers.
The Fascist not only met the radi.
cal elements upon their own grounds
but surpassed them in boldness. They
pulled down the red flag wherever
they saw II. they banished represen-
tatives Of the Moscow Soviet. hooted
and thrashed Socialist Deputies and
organizers. and fought armed en-
gagements with the radicals. They
carried the war from the city to the
country; their frequent sorties had a
military appearance, consisting of
from forty to 200 Fascist in motor
trucks. At Castelbolognese. where
nearly the whole population was so.
cialistic, they invaded municipal