Italy Notes

Benito issued a decree giving protection to tenants against rent-raising landlords. The landlords protested, declared that the new measure would shake their confidence in Fascismo, discourage construction. Answered Mussolini :

'The landlords have shown themselves incapable of profiting by my previous decree, because they used it to increase rents exorbitantly. They must realize that liberty has duties as well as rights."

Gabriele dAnnunzio, reported seriously ill from gastritis (TIME, Mar. 3), recovered and assumed his duties as chief of the Seamen's Unions.

Senator Alberto Bergamini, for many years editor of the Giornale d'Italia and President of the Press Association, was about to enter his villa on the outskirts of Rome. Masked robbers followed him, stabbed him, beat him with steel gloves, relieved him of 1,300 lire and his gold presentation medals. Soon afterwards came the Senator's chauffeur upon the scene. He fired his revolver; the robbers fled. The Carabinieri arrested two suspects, Senator Bergamini was removed to a hospital.

The Italian elections were announced for April 6. There are 1,354 candidates and 535 seats. Under the new electoral law (TIME, May 28 et seq.), 356 of this number will receive two-thirds of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies; the remaining 998 will battle for the remaining one-third, or 179 seats.

Father Giovanni Vanninetti, editor of a Sondrio journal, wrote some humorous comments upon the War-decorations of the local Fascist candidate. Belisario Cantagalli, a Fascist secretary, challenged him to a duello. General Ricciotti Garibaldi, last surviving son of the great patriot, was reported very ill, was not expected to recover. His wife and daughters remain by him day and night, but his sons are abroad, one in Mexico, one in China.

A violent earthquake shook the town of Mondolfo, driving the terrified populace into the cold streets.

Gravediggers of Naples went on strike for an increase of pay.

A treaty of amity and friendship was signed between Italy and Albania. Ratifications of the Italo-Czech Treaty of Commerce and Navigation were exchanged, giving, inter alia, Czechoslovakia traffic facilities in the Italian Adriatic port of Trieste.