Evening star., 1921-08-13
COMMUN|SM'S GRIP
BROKENBY SEIZURE
Lost Popular Support When
italian Factories Were
Taken, Tittoni Says.
By the Associated Press.
WILLIAMSTOWN. NJ;

BY the Associated Press.
WILLIAMSTOwN. Mass, August 13
-Communism's grip upon popular
favor in Italy was definitely broken
when the government refused to take
any drastic measures of repression
against the seizure of factories by the
Tittoni. president of the Italian sem
ate. told the institute of politics at
Williams College.
From the day the workers occupied
the factories, and were obliged to
realize the impossibility of their talk
ing over the entire administrative
control" said Senator Tittoni. com
munism lost ground daily among the
great mass of the people"
Five Stages Traced.
He spoke in part, as follows:
In the progressive movement to-
ward the emancipation of tho Italian
workmen five stages can be traced.
From the period of mutual aid. which
and which had for aims moral and eco
nomic betterment of the working classes,
economy and brotherhood between
workers-aims which. it is clear, were
already based on a principle of inter-
national policy as affirmed by Giu-
r
humanity-we pass to the time when
class struggle began to develop in the
field of economics for the improve
ment of wages. shorter working
hours. and the protection of labor-a
period in which the first leagues of
resistance. began to take shape on the
disappearance of the mutual aid So
cietieS.
Communion Killed.
"The fifth phase was marked by the
invasion of the factories by the work
men-an action which created a great
impression abroad and which led to
the belief that Italy was on the verge
of revolution.
There arose a grave controversy in
Italy as to whether this invasion
should have been prevented or re-
pressed. There is no doubt that If
such had been the case industry
would not have been so hard hit by
the hold-up of production and the
consequent loss of foreign markets
which continued during the long Pc
r1od of unrest which followed the in
vasion. On the other hand, it should
be remembered that from the day
the workers occupied the factories
they found themselves confronted by
reality and were obliged to realize
the impossibility of their taking over
their entire administrative control
From that time communism. as the
ground daily among the great mass
of the people. to the extent of being
practically exterminated in the
great centers where it had taken
"rrAst hold, Bologna, Ferrara and
Turin.
New Problem Arises.
"But new problem arose-namely,s
the inspection of the factories by
the workmen gave rise to a
heated controversy, and is now be-
fore the Italian parliament. Italy is
by no means the only country which
has had grave labor agitations. They
have been experienced everywhere.
The movement, which at the present
the peasantry and the agrarian So
cialism, unknown in other great
countries, which has obtained an ex-
tensive footing in many parts of the
peninsula. The occupation of the fac
tories was flash in the pan; 1t
lasted but a few days, but the occu-
patton of lands has been a phenom-
enon of longer duration, though of
this, too, We can say that the move
ment has now lost it's Intensity and
is on the decline.
"The italian parliament is prepar-
ing to tackle the grave problem of
labor, both in the factories and in
the fields, now that the most disorder
ly and violent phase of the agitation
of workmen and peasants has sub
sided. In the words of an American
WI tier, who also carefully followed
these movements, Italy has survived
the worst, and will hold steadfastly
to a peaceful solution of her trou-
bles.'"