The New York herald., 1922-12-10
FASCISTI CONVOKE
THIEVES CONGRESS
Men With Prison Records AS
sumed They Were to Form
Labor Union.
TOLD TO STOP STEALING
Warned to Go Straight or
They Would Be Beaten
With Clubs.
TOLD TO STOP STEALING

Special Cable 20 TMu NEW YORK HERALD.
Copyright. 1888, ov THn NEW YolK HnRALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Rome. Dec. Q.
AIessandri, an Industrial city of north
ern Italy. WILL go down in history as the
first town to harbor a congress Of Grim
inals. This week in a hall recently
wrested from the Socialists the Fascist
met moro than 200 men with prison rec
ords, called upon invitation by the local
Fascio. Each man had received a very
polite note. beginning Honorable Sir"
asking him to attend the congress and
assuring him there was no danger OF
intervention by tho police because the
police had promised to avoid the neigh
borhood Of tho hall for the evening.
Albeit the note was most courteous. no
light fingered Alessandrian considered 1t
wise to decline the invitation. and all
assembled promptly. from the ragged
pushcart thief to young gentlemen with
embroidered socks. experts at robbins
rich Americans. The audience. know
ing the Fascista passion for organiza-
tion. believed the Fascio had decided to
form a union of nocturnal workers
Audience Gets Surprise.
Promptly at o'clock arrived Raj
monde Sala, secretary OF the Fascio,
young bemedaled war veteran, accom-
panied by Fascista officials. who gave
the Roman salute, to which some or the
thieves responded. Sala spoke for an
hour. in part as follows
'"There Is too much thievtng In Ales-
sandri. The Fascist have DECIDED 10
stop It, and when We make up our
minds we do not stop at anything. we
warn you boys that anybody causht
stealing will be punished, not IN prison,
but with clubs. We want to help you
straighten up, and are willing to find
ANYBODY work who needs work. BE-
ginning tonight the streets Will be pa
trolled by Fascista special police, who
will beat transgressors as enthusiastic
cally as dentists or sausage grinders.
Many applied for Jobs. which the
Fascist arranged hastily. One man
lust out of prison was given tickets for
bed and food, and taken to the Fascio
where he was provided with clothes.
Murderer Feels Insuifed.
An old man. purple faced with rage,
came forward. protesting that he should
not be classed with thieves. I'm an
honest man." he insisted. "1've been
In prison eighteen years for homicide.
1 won't be insulted like this!'
Several said they had found Jobs and
had already stopped their regular pro-
fession The Fascist chose four young
thieves to form part Of the special police
and six others to guard large bank.
These men were so impressed with such
confidence that they signed contract
to sacrifice their lives IL they failed Of
their duty.
The new police rushed out Immediately
and found two out Of town thieves,
whom they brought to a hospital. beaten
sense1ess Premier Mussolini. chief OF
the Fasci, when Informed OF the work
of the Alessandri Fascio. sent the fol-
lowing telegram, which ended with the
Fascista warwhoop OF doy:
IT read in the papers an account OF
the extraordinary congress of men with
prison records. I fully approve this new
method BY combining forces in all d.
rections our Italy will emerge vital and
perfect az ever"