The Washington times., 1921-07-04
LABOR IS GROWING
WEAKER IN ITALY,
DESPITE BIC VOTE
Serious Economic Situation Has
Adverse Effect Upon
Unionists.
ny CLARA wOLD.


MILAN, July Workers control
in the factories Of Italy Is a dead
issue. This emphatic statement was
made TO this correspondent Of the In
ternational News Service by one of
Italy's most influential industrialists,
head Of an internationally important
manufacturing organization and a
recognized leader in his own country.
While he absolutely forbade the use
OF his name for publication, his state
ment. authentic and definite as II Is
Is of no little significance. 1t reflects
the sharp change in Italian industrial
conditions since the revolutionary
furore OF last fall.
"Industrialists in Italy" he said.
who were ready last fall, when 500
factories were occupied by Reds, TO
make certain concessions to the
workers. will now accept no plan that
means experimenting with manage
ment OF production. They do not at
any time intend to give their en-
pIoyes oven a modified control OF the
factories merely agreeing they would
consider a plan for the formation Of a
specie OF national industrial commits
sion, made up of representatives Of
the government. the industries, the
employees and the public, to have a
purely advisory power"
SOCIALIST VOTE IMPRESSIVE.
IndustriaIists are confident that the
question OF workers control will not
even be introduced IN the next cham
Der, he added.
Certainly the anti-Socialist depu-
ties will not introduce It. and labor's
representatives, I think. will be too
busy with questions of unemployment
and wages"
Italys economic situation, quite un-
affected for better or for worse by
the election OF May Is with its i'm
pressive Socialist vote, Is like that OF
the rest of the world-bad. To meet
il industries must and will reduce
wages.
The big night for labor" he con-
tinued, will not be to press new de-
mands, but to save what they can OF
the gains OF the war. II they are re-
calcitrant and unreasonable every
large industry in Italy is prepared to
close down for at least month.
Labor organizations, on the other
hand, like those OF other European
countries and the United States. have
massed unemployment The only way
we can hope to get back t. normal
Is to refuse all experimentation dur
ing such a serious crisis. and TO lower
wages so that we can. continue TO
produce In competition with other
countries.'
WANT RUSSIAN PURCHASES.
In answer to a question as to what
Is the attitude OF italian industry to-
ward the Russian Soviet commission
in Italy, which has stated time and
again that Italy could free herself
from dependence on America and
Great Britain for her supply OF coal
and petroleum and other raw ma
terials II she would open trade with
Russia. he said Russia is plainly
in no condition at present to send us
important quantities of coal or oil
There would be- no opposition, am
sure. from Industries II Russia could
nay us in cash. There are no claims
in Italy against Russia. so deposits OF
gold would not be attached to meet
old debts. But obviously the Soviet
government is not ready to pay in
cash"
When asked II platinum, OF which
Soviet Russia claims to have a large
supply would be acceptable he re-
piled Platinum would be useful TO
Italy only for trade with other coun-
..op g. = soon as we sent IL else
.,r.,r ould be attached. In fact.
.f. ..'. " materials Russia has Of
have been quite useless TO
r..s., which they say they are
.r nd us In considerable guam
already have IN sufficient
r our industrics.
,.. sslan question lr Italy Is
.H Cd d not Industrial. The Rng.
ssiou IL worNinE for re,oE-
ie Soviet government"