The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1922-07-25
HOW ITALY HELPS
HER UNEMPLOYED
Great Construction Work Being
Carried Out by the Opera
del Combattenti.
BILLIONS OF LIRE ARE PAID
Policy ContempIates Using Money as
Investment to Benefit the State
Retaining Marsh Land
Roads and Railways Built.

Rome.-In spite of the low state Of
national finance Italy is attempting to
carry out a broad program for the
relief of war veterans and the unem-
ployed by means of land reclamation
and other public works.
Italy deals with its problem of war
veterans through the Opera NaziOnale
del Combattenti, organized in Deem
Der, 1917, with an initial capital of
3O0,OOO,OO0 lire, of which the govern
ment contributed 25O,OOO,OOO. The
opera has a social section for vOca-
tional training and placing, financial
section for providing credit to indi-
vidual soldiers or cooperative groups,
and an agricultural section, which
concentrates on land reclamation.
Relief for Unemployed.
The general unemployment problem
continues to be taken seriously by the
government, although there is no fear
now of revolutionary outbreaks as the
result of the lack Of work. In the last
few weeks the number of unemployed
has decreased slightly, but there are
still more than half a million men out
of work. Arrangements are almost
completed for starting the public
works authorized last August for the
relief of the situation, but at the
moment the apportioning of funds and
the increase of the amount of work to
be undertaken is occupying the cham.
Der Of deputies. The public works
appropriation is the parliamentary
pork barrel of the country.
Signor Riccio, minister Of public
works. is attempting to hold the bal
ance between the deputies competing
for appointments and to protect the
national budget from being swamped
with more projects than it can stand.
He stated in the chamber the other,
day that in the first three months of
this year there has already been paid
out for labor on public works 1,3OO,-
100000 lire, as against 258OOO,OOO in
the whole year of 1914. He added
that although the minister of finance
had authorized the expenditure of
3OOO,OOO,O0O more for public labor
this year, he did not see where the
money was coming from.
The grave depression in the metal
lurgical districts of Milan and Turin
is threatening to throw more men on
the streets, and as usual the condi-
ton Of unemployment in the province
of Emilia is widespread.
e -
the sort of problem Italian state Off
Gals have to face. For the last 20
years the province has been greatly
OverpOpulated, but the surplus citi-
Zens have refused to emigate. There
is therefore a chronic floating popu-
latiOn Of day laborers who practically
are charge on the state.
Plans of Reclamation.
The governments policy of public
works is a sound one in that the
money spent constitutes an invest
ment which in future years will more
than pay for itself. Instead of pro-
viding busy work" the ministry is
carrying out far-sighted scheme for
TIC u ludtiOu VI uudldTldl IldTSl
lands into fertile territory. Since
1860 the government has obtained
more than 339,OOO,OO lire in plus
value from its reclaimed lands. For
this work the government spent ST.
783,31O lire for retaining 394, OPT
acres, and private consortiums spent
an equal amount, but recovered 1884,
OPT acres. This year the government
has appropriated 100000 lire for
reclamation of land in eight provinces
and work began in March.
Other projects of the government
are equally constructive, Roads and
railways are being built in Sicily and
Calabria, and in the latter province
the government is building artificial
lakes to store water for the hydro
electric plants in the Sila plateau
This part of the country being dry,
irrigation and not draining is the
problem, ,and the government has Of
fered to help local irrigation censor
tiums by paying one-third Of the cost
of irrigation projects of benefit to the
whole country.