BourgeoisieCommunismSocialismSocialist Party

89 JUNE 15, 1921 THE WORKERS COUNCIL THE WORKERS COUNCIL (June 15, 1921 88 i grow daily. It is true that the peasants are taking a little stronger and thoroughly against him; the their revenge on the Fascisti; but it is also to be Fascisti more bitter than ever about Fiume; a handnoted that when the Fascisti are killed, they are ful of Germans and Slavs, thoroughly anti Italian; away from their own towns. They die as invaders, the Socialists stronger for having defeated him in It is also true that when Socialists are killed it the election; and the great constitutionalist bloc is in or near their own homes, or their own head that was to be so helpful actually made up of a diquarters.
versity of liberal democrats, radicals, reformists, The Socialist papers call upon their followers to anti administration Nittians, nationalists and Fasprepare for the more bitter struggles that will come cisti, a dubious 278 including the Fascisti, as to them. They remind the workers that the Fascisti against 124 Socialists, 15 Communists, 103 Powill begin an even greater revenge in their defeat. polare, and Germans and Slavs.
The Trieste Fascisti journal printed the following He faces a Chamber with Mussolini and twentycall just previous to the election: In the law or nine other Fascisti on the one side who will go to against the law, if we don win May 15, woe to the Rome after still further assaults on the Socialists, victors.
and Turati and Modigliani of the Socialists on the And on April 17 a Fascisti weekly published the other, not to mention Bombacci and Graziadei and following: other Communists. His one hope will be to colInvocation laborate with the Socialists, but will the Socialists collaborate with Giolitti? The leaders say emWe invoke the gallows, phatically that they will not.
Saintly and great, The press already predicts that Giolitti must reJust.
sign in the fall. His successor will face then pracMay it be of strong wood of Italian pine.
tically the same situation. Whether the Socialists May the cord be of our hemp, long and very strong. will collaborate with him is another question.
It we would plant upon our vast piazzas.
Here is where the Communists say the split in It we would give plenty of food for its hunger. the Socialist party will come. Serrati is against collaboration with the government as he was beGiolitti went to the country with the cry that fore. Certainly the right wing Socialists are for the Chamber did not represent the temper of the collaboration. Whether or not they have the concountry. He declared that he could do nothing trolling power in the party will be decided at the with parliament as it was. He faces after this elec. next Socialist conference which will be held in July tion practically the same parliament, the Popolare or August able to the Fascisti because they have definitely entered Communist were arguing someone in the crowd parliament with a quota of their own, probably thirty shouted Viva Russia. The usual shot was fired members; notable to the Popolare because they have and one hundred more shots followed. Four were a few more seats than before as a result of refusing wounded, all of them workers, and one was killed.
to go into the national bloc 103 seats in all, and At Regina, near Florence, the Socialist headquarnotable to the Socialists because they did not lose as ters were invaded and all papers and the electoral many seats as Giolitti had intended they should. Hola lists burned.
ing their own in a defensive, not an offensive fight, At Viaregio the ballots of the Communists were they have lost only three or four per cent. of their burned and the printers were warned not to reprint former strenght instead of fifty or more. And this them.
will do Giolitti no good. They return to parliament At Ferrara the printing office at which the Sowith 124 deputies to which one must add the 15 Coni cialist weekly of the community is printed was munist deputies to make a proper comparison with the smashed.
Socialist strength of 156 of the last parliament. At Padua, where the finest printing offices in the And so everyone rejoices. Everyone but Giolitti. country were established, an office that employed To him has gone entire defeat. On that point all Italy 80 workers and printed besides the Socialist literaagrees. He has neither won the support he had hoped ture the manifestos of all other parties including to get, nor has he succeded in spanking the Socialist the bloc, the entire establishment was wrecked.
Party.
At Naples Fascisti broke up a meeting at which With amazing foresight Mr. Giolitti called this elec Degni, a Popolare, spoke. terrific battle followed tion at what was believed by everyone to be the most with many wounded.
inopportune time for Socialists. Even the Socialists At Biella the Fascisti killed a Socialist assessor believed him. Only Serrati believed that to abstain who had been reported as having said derogatory from the election would be to throw victory into the things about the Fascisti. He was called from his hands of the Constitutionalist enemy and to throw home and shot down. When his brother rushed to greater strength to the Communists. With his usual help him, he, too, was shot and died later.
fox like keenness, Giolitti saw possible victory for At Trieste Fascisti killed a young Socialist who himself in the camps of his most bitter enemies. He had made derogatory remarks about Fascisti on called on all factions that had oposed him or halfMay Day.
heartedly supported him to form a national bloc not At Teramo the Chamber of Labor was flooded to help Giolitti, but to save la patria. and to defeat with benzine and burned.
Socialism, the recalcitrant child that stubbornly re At Fermo, Macerata, Jesi and Cupramaritima the fused to play with the Government.
Socialist headquarters were invaded and all literaA free hand was given the Fascisti to go through ture burned.
the country with propaganda. Chambers of Labor And so the list runs on for one day.
were destroyed, not occasionally, but every day. With the election over the fighting continues. In Homes of peasants were burned down. Socialists Milano two Royal Guards who patrolled a workand Communists alike were killed. Scores of cooperative stores were sacked. The workers on their parade had been broken up.
ingmen quarter were captured by workers whose They took the guns part fought back with equal hatred and bitterness.
from the Guards, killed one and shot the other. On They were met by Royal Guards and Carabinieri.
the same day twenty Chambers of Labor were deArms were in the hands of the Government. Sostroyed by Fascisti in other parts of Italy. Within cialists who had preached direct action in the past two days, 30 Fascisti had been killed and over a suddenly cried out against this method of attack hundred wounded.
and, as the bourgeois press put it, clothed themselves in sheeps skins. Only the Communists conThe Italian press which at first noted the calm tinued to declare that direct action belonged in the of election day now carries column after column of outrages committed by one side or the other. Night program and must be met with direct action, thereby winning for themselves the Socialists epithet of after night the cavalry appear on the streets of Mi Red Fascisti.
lano. They ride up and down, galloping through The success of the Fascisti in seeming to drive every group that reaches twenty or so in number.
Socialist power out of certain communities was at Milan gathers in the cheap sidewalk cafés and the first welcomed. Two hundred Socialist municipal expensive one to drink coffee peacefully. Conversacouncils resigned under Fascisti pressure. But tion runs along as usual. Suddenly there is heard when shopkeepers, Popolare and even Republicans, roll clattering over windows. Chairs are hurriedly the unmistakable clatter of horses hoofs. Shutters began to feel the mad frenzy of Fascisti, the country was alarmed. Mr. Giolitti commanded that all pushed aside and a stampede for the inside of the such disorders must cease. If the Government ever cafe begins, No one intends to get shot.
tried to end the outrages it was utterly impotent All day long Carabinieri file through the streets to do so, for the proclamation was followed with breaking up the tiniest beginnings of crowds. That as many killings and burnings as at any other time.
is how quietly Italy is taking the election.
The country became the battleground for white And out in the country, where it is impossible to guards and infuriated Socialists.
patrol the land, there the revenge goes on.
FasThe days before the election, when everyone was cisti drive through in camions every day. Peasants crying for sanity, the press was filled with stories lie in ambush behind the hedges and fire on them.
of Fascisti fights. At Torino, while a Socialist and The losses in the Fascisti ranks since the election The Amalgamated Beats the Wolf By SOLON DE LEON The wolf has been beaten at a quarrel of his own Individual hargaining.
choosing. On June the Amalgamated Clothing Piece work.
Workers of America signed a working agreement Unlimited power to hire and fire.
which puts the seal of failure on the attempt of the Uncontrolled wage cuts.
anti union element among the New York clothing Individual standards of production for remainmanufacturers to destroy the workers organization ing week workers.
by fair means or foul, for any reason or no reason. And Be it further resolved, read a motion For six months the battle raged. Now is the winter adopted by the manufacturers council of war, of the clothing workers worst conflict made glori which got into the union hands by mistake, that pus summer by this sun of victory.
in the event the association fails to receive an By the terms of the settlement: affirmative reply within the time fixed, then the The union shop is maintained.
association shall put into effect the proposal afore2. The joint arbitration and adjustment machin said.
ery temporarily destroyed by the break is to be In other words, Destroy yourselves, or we will restored.
do it for you. Group or shop standards of production are to Even in the ultimatum, however, the demand for be established jointly by representatives of the the annihilation of the union was not made outworkers and of the employers.
spokenly. Still less outspokenly was it made at the Wage reductions, not exceeding 15 per cent, beginning of the trouble. Easy and gradual was are to be arranged by a joint committee represent the descent to Hades.
ing both sides, cutters wages, for the most part, First a certain concern refused to send any one not being affected.
to present its side of a case pending before the im5. Hours of work stand as they were, at forty partial chairman, who was hired jointly by both four a week.
sides to settle minor disputes arising under the Contrast these terms with the ultimatum inso agreement. Next, manufacturers in increasing lently presented by the manufacturers last De number began to put in requests for wage and cember: other adjustments, alleging that the existing union