, 1922-11-09

HE recent abortive attempt at a
general strike in Italy has resulted
"a in what now appears to be II colos-
sal disaster for the Italian social
list government, writes Louis ID.
-TY "a Kornheld from Rome to the New
Ia MAJ il York Times Proletariat organlza-
IS#@ tons which had been dragged into
~ TN Il the strike against their will, for no
G.14..J other object than to assist ii po-
- litical maneuver which the social
list deputies in the chamber endeavored. without
success, TO effect. are now suffering for their in
discretion in the dismissal and suspension from
employment of thousands of their members.
DistrustfuI of the leadership which provoked
this calamity, they are Withdrawing from the Ital-
ian Labor alliance and are passing into new syn
dicalist combinations which the socialist party for
the purpose of future proletarat action, will find
difficult to control. The situation points clearly
TO "A dissolution of the Italian socialist structure
and a movement toward new foundations.
Even more important than the actual fact of
the socialist rout is the manner in which it was
brought about. A resort to armed force by the
bourgeoisie produced the debacle not the armed
force Of the government. but the force which the
bourgeOisie created of itself and for itself in the
Fascist. In short. armed bourgeOisie." n phe-
nomenOn novel to modern democracy. Is Italy's
most recent and special contribution to the sci
ence OF class war. 1t is a method of action which
cannot fail to stop strikes and crush any move
of the proletariat toward bolshevism.
An armed bourgeoisie takes MARKHAM socialism
at It's word, accepts class war a. a reality ana
ut every opportune moment actually takes the
offensive. 1t rushes in where the hesltant angels
Of democracy fear TO tread, and by swift organ
lied strokes drives the enemy to cover-or Into
the hospitals-and thus restores order. discipline
and Industry.
An armed bourgeoisie presupposes, of course.
complete neutrality and noninterference on the
part of the government, that is to say. unlimited
freedom of action during the period of the crisis.
In fact, II temporarily s%upplants government. In
Italy the government, conveniently took a vaca-
ton until the classes in opposition had settled
their dispute.
For disinterested observers. the Italian expert
ment of August l to August 8 could not fail to
produce the conviction that, given an army of Its
own, independent OF government authority, such
MS the Italian middle and upper classes have de-
veloped In the Fascist. the bourgeolsle of any
country need never fear the success of general
strikes or Bolsheyist agitations. BY reason of
superior intelligence, superior leadership, superior
freedom Of action and resources. an armed bour-
geOlsle can always win.
Consider. to begin with. the Fascstist move
ment A Fasclstist leader thus defined 1t TO the
writer: THE Fascistlst movement is the awaken
ing of Italy to a full sense of its own greatness
and destiny MS a nation. Its appeal is essentially
and always to the patriotism OF the Italian people
ms an Italian people and it proposes ut any cost,
even ut the cost Of democratic conventions, to
crush any tendency that may threaten to drag the
Italian people into the morass Of socialism, boil.
shevism and nternationallsm.
Except for the fact that 1t specifically names
socialism In its Indictment, this program Is as old
MS Italy itself. One naturally marvels that so old
an Idea could have aroused so great a reclame In
IL people so recently emerged from the sophisti.
eating flames of a European war.
The answer is to be found In the new genera
tlon OF Italian youth the youth that had just
missed the war and yet had shifted the fumes;
the youth that found Itself upon the declaration
OF peace hunting for = organizing, AMI
mating ideal, such us wars or revolutions produce;
such AS youth always hungers for something for
which to shout, fight and die. If necessary.
But the cause Of proletariat revolution In Italy
had not then and has not yet developed II spokes.
man sufficiently eloquent and dramatic TO capture
the Imagination Of the Italian youth. Upon Its
Vision NJ Fiume four years ago there did burst
a skyrocket OF great brillinncy. hut It pointed
nunzlo had no new ideal To oner. He had nm old
Idenl-vlvn Italia which lie made seem new
through the force Of his own Imagination. feryor
and magnetism. And the youth of Italy respond
ed. This fresh outburst Of patriotism found an
objective Ia bolshcvlsm. and from the contact OF
the two hostile forces. bourgeois nntlonnlism and
proletariht internntionalisu. Fnscsmo was born.
Fnscismo 90 every stage of lis development natu-
rally encountered the bitter opposition OF the
socialists. This opposition reached n critical
stage ia July last when the liberal democratic Gle
mcnts Joined forces With the socialists in demand
ing suppressive measures against Fnsclsmo, on the
ground that Fnseismo. however patriotic In It's In.
tentlons. had adopted n program OF action openly
defiant OF law. productive of Internal disorder.
and In direct contradiction to all the principles
and ,denls OF democratic government.