The Holly chieftain., 1922-11-09

Not to compromise itself In either direction, the
first Facta government there did nothing but utter
Ieeble admontiOns against subversiOns of law
and make vague, incoherent threats Of disciplin-
ing offenders whoever they might be- But by no
such safe middle course, however could the gov
ernment solve the problem of pacifcation."
The government announced late in July II deficit
In the national budget of six billion lire. 1t was
desperately trying to draw the attention OF the
chamber to financial program that to be
based largely on faith hope and charity when
band of irresponsible youngsters, wearing black
shirts and calling themselves Fascist amused
themselves In Cremona one afternoon by citing
fire to the homes of two socialist deputies.
An uproar ensued in the chamber, led by social
lists and supported by the democratic factions in
the center. The burning of the abodes of the two
socialist deputies was veritabe outrage. What
was the government going to do about 1t? The
government decided the time had come to act. 1t
therefore announced that 1t would investigate the
Cremona scandal and punish the culprits
as they could be apprehended. Then the popular
party, from the center of the chamber unexpect-
edly and without warning, out of whim purely
political in motive and totally unrelated to the
issue of the hour swept to the support of the
socialists order of the day and left the
Facta ministry without majority in the ch ,mber.
The ministry collapsed automatically
For about nine days Italy had to get along with
out ministry. 1t got along surprisingly well.
The king called upon Orlando to form a new cabi.
net. He failed.
De Nava and BonOmi and Media in succession
endeavored to procure more or less similar So
luton, but they In turn had better success
than Orlando.
The bankruptcy of Italian craftsmanship as
sumed the character Of national scandal The
king recalled Orlando and again he failed.
The king finally called into consultation for an
exchange of views, the socialist leader, Turati.
The conference of July 20 was acclaimed by the
Italian press as historic" 1t lasted forty min
utes. Turati however, merely utilized his inter
view with the king as an exceptionally dramatic
moment in which to hurl the socialist ultmatum.
Either immediate steps should be taken to form,
a government that would crush FascIsIno or the
socialists would call the general strike. The king
declined to bulge.
On the following day August l. the Labor alli-
at Genoa issued the call to general strike.
In the face of this national danger the parliamen.
tary factions frightened into consolidation;
the popular party deserted the socialists and
Facta was recalled to power. Before the day was
over Facta had formed second ministry. with
few changes In personnel, but with no change
whatever in political complexion. 1t was the
same oyernment that had been overthrown with
the same ''puntarella' to the right. Turati had
played his trump card and had lost.
The scene of conflict passed from parlia.
ment toe the country. Fnscsmo received the order
to march. The marvellous potency of an armed
bourgeoisie revealed itself at once. Fascist.
armed organized and led, encamped in the squares
and principal streets of the big cities.
For such an organized demonstration Of hos
tility the Italian proletariat was utterly unpre.
pared. The call to strike itself had taken the
proletariat by surprise. The response of the