DEMONSTRATIONS IN ITALY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 639, 16 October 1909, Page 5

DEMONSTRATIONS IN ITALY.

CESSATION OF WORIC. V, " Rome, October 14. All tho shops were Closed in'Milanasa protest against tho execution, of Ferrer, -i' ! Eight thousand' workmen 'in : .Turin/struck, and the Labour leaders in .dciioa ordered twonty-foUr hours', cessation ot. work. • Genoa was in darkness, the .trams wore stopped, and, tho newspapers did not appear. There V er e demonstrations at, tho Spanish Consulates in several Italian towns. Workmen at Leghorn "threaten . to boycott Spanish'goods. • THE POPE'S:REGRET. BLACIC-UDGED MANIFESTO BY MAYOR : - OF ROME • • ■' Roms, October 14. The. Popo regrets tho execution of Ferrer. 110 fears it will encourage anti-clericalism.-The Mayor of Rome has issued ft black-edged manifesto, 6tnting: "Romo lnourns with tho civilised-world.'' IN SOUTH AMERICA. PROTEST IN ARGENTINA AND URUGUAY. . London, October 14. . Working classes at Buenos Ayres propose to boycott Spanish steamers and; goods. There was a/great demonstration at Monto Video before, the Spanish Legatio'ni The crowd had to bo dispersed. • BOMBS IN BARCELONA. i V ' _ 'ITALIAN STRIKES. (Rec. October 16, 0.15 a.m.) Rome, October 15. •Strikes in sympathy, with Ferrer continue in several Italian towns. ■. . . 'Bomb explosions have occurred in Barcelona, but they resulted harmlessly. ; REMARKABLE PERSONALITY.: AN EDUCATIONIST and philosophic ANARCHIST. 'WAS CHARGED WITH ATTEMPT OX ROYAL I'AJR IN 1005. /. ; | Senor Francisco Ferrer, who was convicted by a Spanish court-martial of. being the-unseen director of the early disturbances in Barcelona, and whose execution has, brought upon tho Spanish authorities the reproof or execration, lrom many quarters in Europe, was the founder of tho.fnmous "Modern Schools" in Spain, and tho. Director of t)ie• Barcelona "Modern School." Ferrer .'• was also, one of those who were charged with participation in the attempt mado to assassinate tho King, and Queen , of Spain on their wedding day in Madrid; May'3l, 1906. On that occasion a bomb was-thrown at the Royal carriage, killing 123' and,' injuring " 119 among the soldiery, and • spectators. Their Majesties were uninjured, and . the 'next day drove through' Madrid in a motor car without escort and received an , ovation. The alleged assassin, u Spanish anarchist named: Morral, on, being challenged at Torrejon,- shot a policeman dead'and, then shbt'shimsplf. ••• .His First Trial. ' Seven people were subsequently charged with participation in the attempt on tho lives of the King and > Queen. Besides Francisco Ferrer, there were Nakens,' Mata, Ybarra, Mnjiiral, Martinez, , and. a woman.. ■ Ferrer,- Mapara], Martinez, and]; the woman were acquitted. Nakens, Mata, and.Ybarra were'each sentenced to' nln«.'^rears'' lmptltonmont.'',.ln "Miy -last'

year, in honour of the birthday of his firstborn, King Alfonso released them as an act of clemency. '•" •-•■:■:'■■.-.' ■ ' ' , ,; ;

In his evidence in this: trial, Ferrer declared that he had learned with surprise . : of • the, crime. He did not know that Morra! had sent bombs to; Paris on the occasion of King Alfonso's visit to. that capital (where Alfonso's lite had been previously attempted). Ferrer denied that ho had lent money to Morral to enablo him to go to Madrid for tho King's miirriage, or that he had i recommended Morral to Nnkens. Nakens was editor of the revolutionary journal "El Mattino," which harboured Morral, tho bomb-thrower, on tho day of tho crime.

With regard to the. acquittal of Ferrer on tho charge of complicity in tho crime of 1006, it was pointed out at tho tinio by the "Manchester. Guardian" that "in . his political philosophy honor Ferrer is on anarchist,, like yjolstoy,' and many English., thinkers;, of distinction.' As to-day's cablegram puts it, he ' was generally regarded as a philanthropist and dreamer, ftot as a-conspirator."

To Destroy the Schools. It was suggested in 1906-and.no doubt the same suggestion is made now—that the main object ot tho Spanish; Government in accusing' iV.f'' re r,.r IS *? destroy the "Modern Schools/' .lho Manchester Guardian':describes tne («%* H Ch ° ol . S ', WMV voluntary sobools in which the intellectual atmosphere is Liberal and secular, m a country whose general 'educational systom is enslaved to clericalism.'' It is not clear whether the "inculcation of anarchist, morals among his pupils": (to' quote from to-days cablegram) amounted to tho.advocacy of . assassination. Krishnavnrma W«LW:W Dhringra, the muSe?e" iLi. l\ U i- \ Vylll ,°" ~ s , a hero - ™<* that other Indian students should do . likewise. Krish!£]S«' d £ ro "o' . liv °°>! English soil,.and fw % from " Pans \ is ; incitements to mw- «*•!?»?... C -V" n \? y not be Parallel with that mi.nl . ' ' sTe^ . , aS woU to ;t ' & ' But whatever the nature of'Ferrer's propa»vn^f n ;,f? eral ' tho as«i«st him in he Ki° nt ,r^ n F° 7M Participation i„ the BarZ 3 thTf fii nSt - f ulyi W- " can hardly be said that a ; Spanish court-martial is likely to fc"»fW t with thoroughness wd fairness to the prisoner.. Already two alleged leaders, Garcia and Ferrer, have fan executed under court-martial sentence, and.it has been said that 1200 prisoners await trial. Europe Mould not view with equanimity tho descent of bpain to tho position of Russia, whero 7016 K^^o^ d ; bycourt -' ,,Mti,,iiost^': . The number of protests against his execution would seem to indicate that the view is widely accepted;thatForrcr was a purely philosophic -not militant-anarchist. It will bo noted that, according to tho cablegram, the , Pope opposed the execution, fearing that unticlericalism will spring up afresh from' the grave of its exponent: -■■' :-• ■ ; It is said that Ferrer began life as a ticket inspector; on the .railway botweon Barcelona awl-. I'ranee. He afterwards lived in Franco, iind.met Ernestina Menier, who left Ferrer a fortune by her will. "This fortune he employed >n, founding and conducting the "Modern Schools'.' ■■...• : ,■• :. .-...■■'• ... ..-,