Evening star., 1948-07-16
Fresh Disorders Erup1
In Italy in Spite Of
General Strikes End
Red WuIkout Called of
After De Gosperi Regime
Threatens to Use Force
BY the Assoeio'ed Press

ROME, July 16.-Fresh dis
orders erupted in Italy today,
although the Communicated
general strike sputtered to a
halt.
The Communists called off the
strike after Premier Alcide de Gas
peris government said it would use
force to break the "insurrection.
The official end of the walkout al
noon (6 am. EDT0 came amid
scenes of wild tumult in the Cham
ber of Deputies, where Christian
Democrats and Communists en-
gagged in fist fights. There was re-
peated in miniature the strike-bred
disorders which had swept the coun-
try for 36 hours.
At least l3 persons were killed
and more than 100 injured in the
Communist-sparked rioting. Even
before the hour set by the Com
munist-led General Confederation
of Labor for the end of the walkout,
the strike virtually had collapsed.
A back -to-work movement began
late yesterday. The confederation
knuckled under when Mr.. de Cas-
peri's government stood firm against
this most serious challenge yet to its
authority.
16 Wounded in Bologna.
In the last hours of the strike
16 persons we're wounded, three
seriously, in a gun battle in Bologna
Police used their guns on strikers
after they were fired on from the
windows of the Chamber Of Labor
Office there.
Disorders also occurred in Milan
and Palermo as die-hards strove to
enforce the walkout right up to the
noon hour. Authorities regaineo
control of Genoa. one of the major
trouble spots.
Police and troops moved vigor-
ously in putting down rioting. ar
resting strikers who resisted them
This was in line with the get-tough
policy outlined by Interior Minister
Mario Scelba and Mr.. de Gasperi.
The strike followed an attempt
two days ago on the life of Com
munist leader Palmiro Togliatti.
Togliatti's physicians said he
passed IAN agitated night and his
condition had grown worse. He
had a maximum temperature OF
1O2 during the night and his pulse
was 122. The bulletin on his con-
dition said broncho-pneumonial
congestion developed at the base
of the lungs.
Riot Police Watch Warily.
Rome shops reopened and trains
and buses went back into operation
before the noon expiration of the
general strike. But everywhere
heavy patrols of riot police. armed
with clubs pistols and tommy guns
watched warily. Glum crowds
watched men commandeered by
police tear up and remove the bar
ricades which rioters had thrown
up across main roads in the slum
outskirts.
At Eboli in the south, 10 persons
were wounded. six of them gravely
when caribinieri fired on threat
ening mob. Other outbursts were
reported at Palermo and other
places were returning workers and
die-hard strikers quarreled over the
ending of the strike.
In Bologna, angry crowds hurled
stones and insults at police. The
police first fired into the air, and
then, when the crowds still threat
ened, threw tear gas bombs. From
the crowds two hand grenades were
tossed at the police In return the
police themselves threw three or
four grenades. Then. firing. the
police moved on the strikers. They
arrested 10.
Fighting broke out on the floor
of the Chamber of Deputies this
morning as Communist labor
leader defended the calling of the
general strike. The brawl was OF
record proportions even for that
often disorderly parliamentary body
Christian Democratic and Commu-
mist deputies aimed blows at each
other and sergeants at arms were
powerless TO separate them.
Meanwhile new disorders in Milan
were reported. Firing broke out in
that northern city near the Offices
of the huge Montecatini industrial
(See ITALY, Page A-4)