The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-10-13
RIVALRY IS OF
GREAT Benefit
Vatican and Socialists Of Italy In
Competition, Create Societies
and Organizations Of
Much Worth.
HUNDREDS OF THEM
No Other Country In the World Is 50
Prolific In These Mutual
Benefit oryanrza-
tlons.

TBy Henry Wood. Rome correspon-
dent OF the United Press.l
ROME, October Ia peculiar riv-
airy has sprung UP In italy between
the vatican and the socialists for the
organization Of workingmen into var
ious societies and associations. So
extensive and important has this
work become that it has just been
made the subject Of very extended
investigation and report by the Ital-
ian minister of commerce and indus
try.
One Of the peculiar ramifications of
socialism in Italy is opposition to the
Catholic church and the method OF
organization amongst the working
mems associations along very similar
| lines and the rivalry continues at the
4 present time with undated vigor
and with unquestionably great bene-
fit to the workingmen.
According to the report Of the min
lister of commerce and industry, the
vatican began its study Of the labor
/ organization question in 1874, initial
ing the leagues of labor. These con-
/ tinued with more or less success UNI
til 1911 when the vatican reorganized
all OF the leagues by statue, reuniting
them under four classes organiza-
lions for professionals, cooperative,
and agricultural institutions, and So
4 cieties for loans, credits and banking.
At the present time under this or
ganization the Catholic leagues OF
Italy number 1o4,614 members, OF
whom 57,466 are tradesmen and Az
14S are agriculturalists. These are
split up into individual organizations
of the most diverse types possible and
for the most diverse purposes pos
sible.
For instance there are fifty-seven
cooperative societies which maintain
$50 cooperative stores where prac-
tically every possible form OF mer-
chandise necessary in the ordinary
life can be had at cooperative prices
There are also 4S7 cooperative socie-
ties confined entirely to agriculturists
and the supplying of agricultural
!. wants.
The various societies for mutual aid
exceed all other kinds, there being
79s of these with membership OF
about 1OO,0 900 of whom the great ma
jority are laborers.
+ OF these mutual aid organizations
!. 80 per cent give aid to the sick; IL
: per cent supply medical aid and med
i ical advice; So per cent give aid te
a working women who are about to be
: come mothers; 35 per cent assist con
: firmed invalids; IS per cent are fol
/. the benefit OF the aged and the di
o versity of purpose of these societies
t continues practically unlimited.
!" Among the cooperative societies
amongst the agriculturists are those
q for the insurance Of cattle and crops
e as we'll as against fire, storms, ant
I. other forms Of destruction.
i. Despite the fact that the govern
t ment has its own system of posta
# savings banks, organizations for thi'
l. purpose have met with great popular
ity and the Catholic workmen of Ital,
n now have 942 rural savings banks
d with, 94,1SS depositors.
n These figures, which relate solel.
e to the Catholic organizations OF work
', ingmen, are largely duplicated b.
? those of the socialists. AS a conse
If quence it is the opinion of the minis
d ter of commerce and industry tina
n there is no other country in the worl'
SO prolific in these mutual organiza
q lions as italy and no other country Il
Il the world where such benefits ar
$. received owing to the rivalry between
q the religious and the lay concerns an,
n the necessity of making their ind
II yidual organizations SO attractive an
Ia so profitable to the members as t
n keep from being eclipsed by tn
h other.