Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-07
THE REVOLUTION IN
ITALY


spects. 1t is a revolution Of the
upper classes against the socialists
and radicals. Generally political
revolutions come from below and
are directed against the aristocratic
and military classes. The "Fascis-
ii" take their name from the Roman
emblems of governmental authority
the rods of justice and authority.
They profess intense loyalty to the
king and to their country and they
were rebels to the government at
the same time. The d'Annunzio,
who seized and held Fiume against
the orders of the Italian govern
ment, was a leader of this faction.
It's latest leader, DR.. Benito Musso-
lini, has just been made prime min
lister of Italy and now controls the
Italian government. The Fascist
have a powerful and well armed
military organization back OF them.
It was originally formed to combat
the revolutionary plans OF the So
cialists, syndicalists and comnun-
lists to seize political power by rev.
olution. At that time it got some
sympathy and encouragement from
the Italian government, which had
sought to curb the radical revolu-
tionary element in Italy by con-
cessions, and was not adverse, to
having the armed force of the Fas-
cisto back of it in case Of conflict.
But as the danger of radical revo-
luton passed away the Fascist took
up the role of revo1utionists them
selves and by force of arms cap
tured several important cities IN
Italy. The Italian cabinet of the
day drew up an order declaring
martial law in Italy and undertook
to put down the Fascist by force,
but King Victor Emmanuel re-
fused to sign the order. His cabi-
net thereupon resigned, and King
Emmanuel sent for DR.. Mussolini
and asked him to form a new cabi-
net. The Fascist army marched
into Rome, leaving their arms out
side and then disbanded. They
won the revolution without blood
shed. %They have the support OF
the property owning classes and
conservatives and hatred OF all
classes of radicals. Presumably
thew do not represent the views OF
the majority of the voters OF Italy
for if they had done SO they would
have depended on votes instead OF
rifles to establish their authority
to rule Italy. But they do repre-
e a solid section of the voters.
They have the guns and the money
and they govern by force at pres
ent. much to the JOY of all the con-
sentative elements of the Italian
electorate.
So far as the United States IS
concerned it may interest our read
ers to know that the ieader of these
Fascist, and present premier OF
Italy, is violently opposed to the
ratification of the Washington dis
armament conference. He wants
no limit placed on the size of the
Italian army or the Italian navy.
He dreams of a powerful Italian
nation in a military sense, the mas
terry of the Adriatic sea and of the
Mediterranean, with colonies in
Africa and elsewhere. He has no
sympathy with disarmament but
| rather believes in greater arma-
ments and wider conquests. Of
course he has no idea of paying up
the money Italy borrowed from
the United States during the var
That is a closed incident with all
Italian statesmen for the present
at least. His concern is with get
ting more money rather than with
paying old debts. In that he is no
different from most Of the Euro
pean statesmen at this time.
The abortive revolution Of the
Junkers at Berlin about a year ago
comes nearer to the present move
ment in Italy than any other. Per
haps the whole revolution against
Bella Kun the bolsheviki rule OF
Hungary is another similar move
ment. Both of these involved a
good deal of fighting, however.
The Cursor movement in Ulster
just before the war had many fea-
lures in common with the Fascist
movement in Italy. In both cases
the revolutionists professed a super
loyalty to the king. In the case OF
the Ulster Irish they proved il
later, for almost their entire mill.
tary force volunteered for the war
and fought in France. The aristo.
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