The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-09-09
ITALY FREEING
HER WORKERS
Democratic Control of Industry
Ultimate Goal of Labor
Activities

Addressing the Institute of Poll
tics, being conducted at Williams
town, Mass, in connection with the
Plymouth Rock celebration, Tommas-
so Tittoni, president of the Italian
Senate, declared that his govern
ment proposes to enact progressive
laws that will emancipate the work.
ers from intolerable conditions that
existed prior to the war.
In all parts of the world, Tittoni
declared, "the war called forth a
new sense of duty, and this in
Italy has caused determined move
ment toward new and civil code"
italian labor organizations" he
continued, "were determined to in
sure for their members a better
existence and a more equal partici-
patton in the good things of life,
and when their demands, as in the
case of the eight-hour day, did not
receive the sanction prescribed by
law, they had recourse to concerted
action Legislation, nevertheless,
granted many of their demands, and
driven by the urgent needs of the
period, laid the foundations by it's
latest provisions for compulsory in
surance against involuntary unem-
ployment, made provision for the
regulation of labor contracts, laid
down rules for the concession of
lands to peasants, encouraged the
building industry to construct dwell
lings for the people, and reformed
the laws dealing with emigration
and the legal protection of emf
grants"
Will Grant LabOr's Demands
The Italian cabinet, it was stat
ed, had decided to put through some
of the more important demands of
labor, such as the reform of the
Council of Labor, the eight-hour
day, the registration of professional
organizations and the ratification
of The conventions adopted by the
international labor conference held
in Washington.
There is also to be considered by
the incoming chamber a scheme of
labor control of industry, following
the demand for industrial democ-
racy that is live question in the
United States.
economists and politicians. Tit
toni declared. that labor will
not he satisfied with less than
actual equality with capital in
the management of industrial
establishments.
There is a pressing demand for
the enlargement and reform of the
board of arbitration and for COM
pulsory insurance against illness,
which is the only form of insurance,
Tittoni said, that Italy still lacks.
Says Communism Is Ended
Tracing the progressive movement
toward the emancipation of the
Italian worker five stages were de-
veloped by Tittoni. From the per-
iod of mutual aid, which appeared
with the rise of Italian unity and
which had for moral and economical
aims the betterment of the work
ing classes, the speaker passed to
the time when the class struggle
began to develop in the field of
economics, for the improvement of
wages, shorter working hours and
the protection of labor.
The last phase, it was explained
was marked by the invasion of the
factories by the workmen, which
Tittoni declared. was valuable
lesson to them, demonstrating as it
did the impracticability of assuming
complete administrative control.
"That was the end of communism"
he continued. but it also brought
forth new ideas, dealing with con-
troll on a modified scale, and it is
that with which we must reckon.
Italy proposes meeting it's respon-
sibility in a manner that will as
sure absolute Justice for the work
err, to the end that his emancipa-
tion may be permanently COM
pleted."