Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-11-09
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Not to compromise itself in either direction, the
nrSt Facta government there did nothing but utter
feeble admonttons against subversions Of law
and make vague, incoherent threats of discipline
ing offenders whoever they might be. But by no
such safe middle course however could the gov
eminent solve the problem of pacfcatlon."
The government announced late in July deficit
in the national budget of six billion lire. 1t was
desperately trying to draw the attention Of the
chamber to a financial program that was to be
based largely on faith, hope and charity when a
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 a vertable outrage What
was the government going do about it? The
government decided the time had come to act 1t
therefore announced that it 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 on an order of the day and left the
Facta ministry without majority in the CHI amber.
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 new cabl.
net He failed.
De Nava and Bonomi and Media in succession
endeavOred to procure a more less similar So
luton but they in turn had no better success
than Orlando.
The bankruptcy of Italian craftsmanship as
sumed the character of a national scandal The
king recalled Orlando and again he failed
The king finally called into consultation, for an
exchange of views, the socialist leader Turatl
The conference of July % was acclaimed by the
Italian press as Historic" It lasted forty min.
utes. Turat however merely utilized his inter-
view with the king as an exceptionally dramatic
moment in which to hur the socialist utimatum.
Either immediate steps should be taken to form
a government that would crush Fascismo or the
socialists would call the general strike The king
declined TO bulge.
On the following day August l. the Labor ALI.
ance at Genoa issued the call to general strike.
In the face Of this national danger, the paramen.
tary factions were frightened into consolidation;
the popular party deserted the socialists and
Facta recalled to power. Before the day was
over Faca had formed a second ministry with
few changes in personnel. but with no change
whatever in political complexion. II was the
same government that had been overthrow with
the same 'puntarella" to the right Tlrat had
played his trump card and had lost.
The scene Of conflict now passed from para.
ment to the country. Fascismo received the order
~ march The marvellous potency of an armed
bourgeOsie revealed itself at once. Fascist
armed organized ana led cncamped in the squares
and principal streets of the big cities
For such an Organized demonstration of hos
tlty the italian pr0etarat was utterly unpre.
pared The call TO strike itself had taken the
prolctnrint hr surprise. The response of the