South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-07-03
LABOR LOSING ITS
POLITICAL POWER
THROUGHOUT ITALY
Serious Economic Situation
Unaffected by Returns of =
Recent Election.

MILAN, July WORKERS con-
troll in the factories Of ItaIy is a dead
issue. This emphatic statement was
made TO this correspondent OF the
International news service by one OK
Italy's most influential industrlalists.
head OF an Internationally important
manufacturing organiza ton and a
recognized leader ia his own coun-
Try. While he absolutely forbade
the use OF his name for publication.
his statement, authentic and dem
lite as IL is. is of 10 little sgnia-
canoe Il reflects the sharp change
IN Italian industrial conditions since
the revolutionary furore OF last fail.
"Industrialists IN italy" he said,
'who were ready last fall when 500
factories were occupied by Reds &c
make certain concessions 20 the
workers. viii now accept no plan
shat means experimental with man
agement Of production They do
not at any time intend 20 give their
employees even a modified control OF
the factories merely agreeing they
wuld consider a plan for the forma-
ton Of a specie Of national indus
trial commission. made up OF repre-
sentauvcs of tae government, the
industries. the employees and the
public TO have a purely advisory
power"
I0dustriaLsts are confident that the
question of workers control Will not
even be introduced In the next cham-
Der ,he added
Certainly the anti-socialists depu-
ties VIII not introduce il. and 'abor's
representatives, I think. viii be too
busy with questions of unemploy-
ment 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 viii reduce
wages.
The bis fight for labor" he con-
tinued, ''will not be 20 press new de-
mands. but 10 save what they can Of
the gains OF the war. II they are !.
recalcitrant and unreasonable every
large industry in Italy is prepared 70
close down for at least a month.
Labor organizations. on the other
hand, like those OF other European
countries and the United States. have
no stored surplus. They can't face
massed unemployment. The only
way we can hope 10 get back 10 nor
NAL is to refuse all experimentation
during such a serious crisis. and 10
lower wages so that we can continue
TO produce I'm competition with 9TH
er countries"
Want Russian Cash Purchases.
In answer TO a question as TO what
is the attitude Of Italian industry
toward the Russian soviet commits
sin in Italy. which has stated time
and again that Italy could free her
self from dependence in America
and Great Britain for her supply 4
coal and petroleum and other raH
materials If she would open trade
with Russia, he said: Russia 6
plainly IN no condition at present "a
send Us important quantities OF coal
or oil. There would be no oppoci-
ton. I am sure. from industries Il
Russia could pay us in cash. There
are no claims in Italy against Russia.
so deposits Of gold would not be at
tached to meet old debts. But OBJ
viously the soviet government IS not
ready 10 pay in cash."
When asked If platinum. OF which
Soviet Russia claims 10 have a large
supply. would be acceptable ne re-
piled. Platinum would be useful 10
italy only for trace with other coun-
tries. and as soon as we sent it else
where it would be attached. In fact,
the only raw materials Russia has
offered so far have been quite use>~<
less to US. Copper, which they say
they are ready 20 send US IN con-
siderable quantities, we already have
in sufficient quantity for our indus
tries.
The Russian question in italy IS
political and not industrial The
Russian commission Is working for
recognition Of the soviet govern
ment.'