ITALY'S INDUSTRIAL UPHEAVAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15318, 14 September 1920, Page 6

ITALY'S INDUSTRIAL UPHEAVAL

EXPROPRIATION OF WORKS. NEGOTIATIONS WITH MANUFACTURERS. iElec. Tel. Copyright— United Press Assn.) (Received . Sept. 14. 1.35 p.m.) N ROME, Sept. 13. It is regarded as significant that the Confederation of Labor has assumed responsibility m connection with the strike movement, meaning thiit the more levelheaded leaders recognise the present position is impracticable. The question, however, is whether the men will follow the Confederation leaders, seeing that they rio. longer believe it is a question of wages but of complete expropriation and new life for the workers. The Confederation, however, has succeeded m opening negotiations with tho manufacturers, whoso representatives have undertaken to place the, demands before the General Council. Tho demands include the appointment of workers' representatives on tho . board of directors. The Confederation has ordered the evacuation of all factories except metallurgical, but the only response so far is the evacuation of the Campagana works m Turin, after some firing, m -which two persons were killed. In Palermo district the peasants occupied the large estates without resistance. Every Soviet workshop is strongly fortified. Some are guarded by men with machine guns. The workers are divided into three shifts. One works, another sleeps, and a third keeps guard with rifles. Tlie leaders, many of whom are young men, frequently harangue the workers, the : r # slogan being "Death before surrender." — United Service.