Page:EB1922 - Volume 31.djvu/678

638 different from those of the previous Parliament, save that the Socialists, Communists and Republicans were undoubtedly weaker and the Liberals and Catholics somewhat stronger. But the spirit of the Chamber was different; if the Socialists had suffered a less severe reverse than was expected, the dominant note was the success of the Fascisti and Nationalists. The former were about 40 and the latter ten, while a number of other members not actually inscribed as belonging to either group, but describing themselves as ex-combatants and agrarians, might be classed as sympathizers. The new provinces returned five Popolari and one Socialist for the Trentino, four Germans for the Alto Adige, three Italians and one Communist for Trieste, five Italians and one Slav for Istria, four Slavs and one Communist for Gorizia-Gradisca.

On June n 1921 Parliament was opened by the King amid scenes of great enthusiasm. The Socialists, Communists and Republicans did not attend, nor did the Fascisti of Republican tendencies or the Germans from the Alto Adige. On the debate on the speech from the Throne, while the internal policy of the Government met with general approval from all parties except the Socialists and Communists, its foreign policy was subjected to very severe criticism; Sig. Federzoni, the Nationalist leader, delivered a stringent attack on Count Sforza, whose reply made a bad impression. On June 26 the Cabinet obtained only a small majority on a vote of confidence (234 to 202), and al- though Count Sforza offered his resignation Giolitti professed to regard the vote as involving his policy as a whole, and the Cabinet therefore resigned. Although Giolitti could have formed a new Cabinet himself he declined to do so; and after various other attempts Sig. Bonomi, the Treasury Minister in the late Cabinet, finally undertook to form an administration. On July 4 the new ministers took the oath. The Cabinet was constituted as follows: Ivanoe Bonomi (Presidency and Interior), Marquis Tomasi della Torretta (Foreign Office), Girardini (Colonies), Rodino (Justice), Soleri (Finance), De Nava (Treasury), Bergamasco (Marine), Corbino (Education), Michcli (Public Works), Belotti (Industry and Trade), Mauri (Agriculture), Beneduce (Labour), Giuffrida (Post Office), Raineri (Liberated Provinces). Sig.' Bonomi had at one time been a militant Socialist and editor of the Avanti, but he broke away from the party in disgust at its anti-patriotic attitude, and on the outbreak of the World War was a whole-hearted interven- tionist; he served for a time in the army, was afterwards Minister of Public. Works during the war, and after the Armistice Minister of War. The new Cabinet comprised members of all the chief parties except the extreme Right and the Socialists. On July 23 the Chamber gave the new premier a vote of confidence with a majority of 166 (302 to 136). (L. V.*)

THE POST-WAR ARMY

As the result of post-war considerations, in November 1919 the Royal Decree No. 2,143 provided for a first prelimi- nary organization of the Italian army as follows: (a) an increase, as compared with the pre-war period, of one army command, three Territorial army corps commands, and five Territorial divisional commands (or a total of 5 army commands, 1 5 Terri- torial army corps commands and 30 Territorial divisional com- mands). These measures were suggested by the increase in the extent of the national territory; (b) a slight increase in the in- fantry; (c) a very marked reduction in the cavalry; (d) a very large increase in the artillery and in the engineers; (e) the for- mation of an Aeronautical Service and of an automobile corps; (/) term of service fixed at one year, or even less; (g) the force on the estimates reduced to 210,000; (h) a budget framed in such a way as to reduce the outlay for the army to 1 1 % of the total expen- diture of the State, while before the war it amounted to 14 %. This scheme was not carried into effect, as the Government held that under it the army would still have been too large and too expen- sive as compared with the requirements and financial resources of the moment. It was considered that the increase of territory and of population did not call for the formation of new units; that on the contrary the improved conditions of the frontier

should permit of a reduction from the pre-war strength of the army. It was necessary also that the army should weigh as lightly as possible on the financial resources of the country, thus ' facilitating Italy's economic revival. Furthermore, the Govern- ment believed in the principle of an " armed nation " in the sense that it desired to reduce the term of military service in time of peace, training all citizens and getting the most out of them in time of war. Some politicians, in advocating a further reduction of the army, were influenced by pre-war, anti-military and almost anti-national ideas, which had for some time affected the country. In any case, within a few months of the first " provisional organization " a second was planned (Royal Decree No. 451 of April 20 1920).

The following are the details of this organization, and the provisions relating thereto formed the basis of actual conditions in 1921: 4 army commands, consisting of the general appointed to the command of the army in time of war and a very small staff; 10 Territorial army corps commands, named after the city in which the command 'is stationed; 27 commands of in- fantry divisions numbered progressively; 3 commands of " Al- pini " divisions similarly numbered; one cavalry divisional command. Each army corps has three divisions of infantry or " Alpini," as well as other troops not incorporated into any division. A division of infantry consists of two brigades of infantry (grenadiers, infantry of the line and " Bersaglieri ") and one regiment of field artillery. An "Alpini " division includes three regiments of " Alpini " and one of mountain artillery. This formation is made for purposes of instruction. In actual fact the " Alpini " regiments and the mountain artil- lery are scattered along the whole frontier; so that the commands of " Alpini " divisions have in their territory and under their direct orders only a portion of the Alpine troops allotted to them. They have, on the other hand, direct control over other infantry and artillery units as is the case with an ordinary division. The troops and services of army corps not incorporated into divisions are: a regiment of heavy field artillery; a group of anti-aircraft artillery; a battalion of sappers; a battalion of telegraph operators; an automobile park; a train park; a sani- tary company; a supply company. These troops and services are capable of supplying in case of mobilization the requirements of the divisions of the army corps and of the command of such army corps. This arrangement, which has been rendered more practical by stationing the various units within the territory of the big units to which they are assigned, represents a marked improvement on the system prevalent before the war, when there were entire Territorial divisions without artillery, engineers or intendance. Other units, generally of specialists, are distrib- uted in different parts of the country, and, while they are not assigned to divisions of army corps, they receive orders there- from in matters of discipline and of service.

The infantry should consist of: 2 regiments of grenadiers (one brigade), 102 regiments of infantry of the line (51 brigades), 4 regiments of " Bersaglieri " (2 brigades), 9 regiments of " Alpini," one group of armoured cars. In addition there were in 1921 still other regiments of infantry in Upper Silesia and in the Eastern Mediter- ranean, as well as 8 regiments of " Bersaglieri " which were to be abolished. The abolition of these regiments had been decided upon for the purpose of not depriving the infantry of the line of its best elements, and in order to preserve an equal number of line regiments which had been formed during the war and had won the gold medal for valour. But popular opposition to the reduction of the " Bersaglieri " units, so characteristically Italian and so full of noble traditions, had the effect of suspending the execution of the proposed measure. For the present, at least, the 12 regiments of

Bersaglieri " remain. The regiments of grenadiers, infantry of the line, and " Bersaglieri " consist of 3 battalions each (2 effective and one reduced to a cadre). Each battalion has 3 companies of rifles and one machine-gun company. " Alpini " regiments are composed of 2 to 4 battalions each (27 in all).

The cavalry consists of 12 regiments (4 of lancers and 8 of light cavalry) and of 4 farrier squadrons (or " palafrenieri "). Each regi- ment consists of two groups of squadrons 2 per group. There are 4 commands of cavalry brigades, each having 3 regiments. Two of these brigades form the division of cavalry already existing.

The artillery consists of: 27 regiments of field artillery; 3 regi- ments of mountain artillery; one regiment of artillery drawn by motors; 14 regiments of heavy field artillery; 6 regiments of heavy