Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-16
NTH
SEES GREATER
ITALY ON WAY
Describes Rebuilding Work
That Already Has Been
Done in Country.
SITUATION ON SHIFT

LONDON, England, Jan. 16.-After the
conclusion of his conversation with the
British statesmen today, the Italian pre-
mier, Francis Nitti. received a repre.
sentative Of the Christian Science Mont
tor, who, however. CLEANED little more
so far as the conferences OF the last
days are concerned, than a lesson in
the diplomatic art of saying nothing.
albeit a lesson delivered with that
Astounding good humor which is so
marked a characteristic of the Italian
premier.
His visit to London, he smilingIy de-
clared, was merely one of courtesy TO a
confrere and his conversations with Mr.
Lloyd George were but in the nature Of
friendly exchanges The peace confer
ence, as every one knows, does not open
until next week, and then In Paris. Mr..
Nitti's smile, although expansive. was
final, and so, after one more at
tempt which merely ELECTED a declaration
that Italy was and had always been
friendly to the Jugo-Slavs and would re-
main so, the interviewer turned to the
question Of internal affairs.
GREATER ECONOMIC
FUTURE Is FORESEEN.
AT once Mr.. Nitti became communica-
tive. Italy, he assured the interviewer
was the country par excellence where
the workers had shown the greatest
readiness and zest in returning to work
after the upheaYal Of the war, and the
vasult was that Italy's economic future
was promising in the extreme. In the
devastated provinces, he declared
marvels of rebuilding have been accom-
plished and are only limited to the Iimi-
tations Of national wealth, one of the
chief projects Of toe reconstruction era
being that Of utilizing the country's
abundant water power for the driving of
her railways and the lighting of her
towns, and thus relieving the situation
IN which she now finds herself in the
matter Of coal.
Such schemes, however, he said. are
schemes of the future, and for the pres
ent the shortage of coal and raw mate
rial is serious check upon Italy's eco
nomic progress, while, in common with
all the belligerents, the country has ia
bear its full share Of financial and social
difficulties
FINANCIAL STATUS
GOOD AS ANYWHERE.
In the latter connection, however. Mr.
Nitd insisted that the situation is not
more serious than elsewhere. We have
all become socialists in some degree. he
maintained, and the increase in the par.
liamentary strength OF the socialist depu-
ties is not more marked in Italy than in
Belgium, being merely an expression OF
the peoples intensified consciousness OF
their economic needs and Of their awak-
ened sense of their civic rights.
The Italian people, he declared, is In
herently democratic, and also practical
and there is no, foundation whatever for
the reports circulated nowadays as 10 its
revolutionary tendencies. And as proof
Of his confidence in the stability of the
domestic situation, Mr.. Nitti pointed to
the arrangements made for his own pro-
longed sojourn abroad, sojourn which.
he argued, would have been impraeticabls
were matters really as they are painted.
GREATLY NEEDS q. IS.
RAW MATERIALS.
When questioned regarding ItaIy's need
of assistance from the United States, the
Italian premier remarked that Italy, like
the other European countries, greatly
needed the raw materials and financial
assistance which the United States alone
can supply, although he recognized that
this meant Il piling up Of debt which
could only be Hquidated eventually by
dint of strenuous work on the part of
the whole nation.
When asked whether he was satisfied
with the work Of the Italian financial mis-
sion recently dispatched to the United
States, Mr. Nitt explained that its visit
had merely been one of friendship and
study, and that actual negotiations have
vet to be preached.