New-York tribune., 1922-11-19
By Wilbur Forrest

4
E window on either side looks as
peaceful az any semi-tropical
= landscape smiling fields and hills
assted With dark gEeen olive trees all
assSed In yellow sun. Towns aud
sglsges through which this train has
,ssssa since it left Rome appear as nor
81, and auieseent as usual, restful te
.bs nerves by their lack OF commotion
md agreeable to the eye in their arch
i;sttaral yellows and reddish browns.
AieH days ago 1t was another story.
yhrcughcut much OF the length and
s-easssk Of Ttsly there was 8 something
N tas air, at first difficult TO see, but
exsy 10 feel-waves OF revolt converg-
ssg en- Rome.
Italy was passing through revolu-
ton suck as has seldom been equaled
In history, The rebels were not COM
psrstively small bands of men gath
cred secretly for simultaneous surprise
attacks on federal strongholds. They
we're tens of thousands, mostly in their
teens, answering sort Of holy order
% mobilize by any means Of transpor-
afion avesiahle, from railway trains to
ags, carrying whatever weapons came
phsnd, at the several gates of Rome
nd there await the orders Of the high
4 alef. one Benito Mussolini.
SIXTY thousand of Mussolini's young
aackshirts were converging on the
npitai as early as Saturday, October
8 aud twelve houEs earlier the news
u their coming had given the King
sna The government the choice between
esistance and submission. The gov
sfrment decided on maintenance of
wdsr by force, and hastily prepared a
iscree declaring Italy in q state of
asge. King Emmanuel was not agree
/ sbls 10 measure which would have
! prepared all the elements Of civil war
3 and possibly a political upheaval of
such abrupt nature as to shake the
throne. He refused TO sign the siege
srder and made overtureg to the Fas-
4 sisti ehieftain at Milan, Offering him
j LIBERAL part In the formation of a new
government.
q zins Surrenders TO Power
81 Which MussoIini Possessed
= But Mussolini, up north there in
81 Iilsn, held the big cards and knew it.
n ais men we're at the moment on all
Il spssss d the wheel moving toward the
Il aih-mobhsing on the capital. The
Asn2. lce, knew that Mussol;ni held
n :hs ards and made his bid for peace.
81 as ssioad telegram to MILAN gave
81 aassdhni unconditional control Of
q sF goysrnment, with the Fascist chief
B sPrine Minister.
q aussolini hurried from Milan to
ago Garda, the seat OF Gabriel Dan
sasio, his friend and counsellor. Then
asaoespted the Kings invitation.
Rhether ex-Premier Facta and his
4 colleagues knew IL or not, Benito Mus
sallni and King Victor Emmanuel
SleE that the country was virtually
Sahind this unique mobilization of q
plackshirted army then Cumming" ite
way toward Rome. Mussolini and his
soowers must have known that the
faances were strong for only passive
sesistance from all but small per-
eentage Of the regular Italian army.
a lew loyal units in Rome would have
ooeyed orders to bar the gates against
Ihs hesieging forces, but the hulk of
ehe country's established military or
gsnizatlon would doubtless have risen
~ suisen protest against bloodshed.
from sources which obviously can
nof De given here am informed that
4aussoiinf had examined all aspects of
nus radical means against the Facta
government. He knew that his men
wao look upon his person as that Of q
ssmi-sod--were with him, come what
aight, he knew also that Italy was
sympathetic, and that success, either
ay force or intimidation, was certain.
The mobilization OF this Fascist
amy was as unique as it was impress
sse. / was able TO witness an i'm
nortant section OF it, but without
kaowledge at the time that Mussolinis
esperiment WEE to pass of as 1t did
kad was also fortunate enough to slip
'aso Rome by tha only gate remaining
spen to the military on Sunday, Octo.
hsr %. All trains at that time had
0ased to leave or enter the capital.
y was in Turin the previous day tina,
Ae something which was in the air be-
seq to De felt. Wild rumors wers a1oat
~ eegraphic communication with the
ss1ssds was forbidden and black.
saisted men, mostly young, began to
saard railway trains headed south.
sasy carried shotguns, rifles Of various
1i0sts, blackjacks, hand grenades,
aaa loaded clubs. They offered no
ssasfs as fare and heavy guard of
s0ps n charge Of the Turin station
not moiest them, but looked on
tisn. ~ : - 80 - aep sDe
eSn offered No Bar
q farsi Board Train
sas train in which Travelled south
-. - saerally sprinkled with these
!. Veg iegionnaires. We picked up more
sfn at Genoa and proceeded on
So bearded at every station by