New-York tribune., 1922-12-17
Financial Reform Will Ex-
tend TO All of Public Util-
tiles and Services Now
Being Run at a Deficit
Economy To Be Ruthless
Women Must Quit Govern
ment Places and Take
Up Housework, Is Order
By Agnes Mackenzie
s,scssI cosls 70 me Trsouzs

clal reorganization OF oil the MINIS
tries Of the railways. telephones posts
and telegraphs-that is, all the depart
nents Of public service which now are
being run at a defcit-but also .
change IN the electoral system and the
improvement OF Itaiy's status abroad
the last reform including the problem
Of immigration.
The reforms already put into eject
include the reduction Of the STATS Of
embassies abroad and the suppression
Of innumsrsbls committees and commits
sieas abroad and at home which are
composed Of large number Of bureau
Gratis whose work during the last year
has been shown 10 be useless, IN some
eases no work being done al all.
For instance, one public commission
formed for the purpose Of inspecting
public works consisted Of 300 persons.
During the year the commission held
only one hearing, hlsd no reports. and,
though they were not paid. they re-
esfved free rail passes. including fam
iiy tickets, which they used for travel
ing all over Italy on private business.
Bonus System Is Ended
The custom Of giving large bonuses
20 government employees also has come
% an end. Mussolini believes that
woman's place is In the home and
in the various women's trades, and
with the new year all the women gov
eminent employees. with the eKeep-
tion Of widows Of soldiers. will be re-
placed By men. This will release q
number OF workers for those trades
and professions where women at pres
ent are scarce. notably dressmakers,
lingerie embroiderers, servants and
yovernesses.
There are to be improved methods
Of collecting taxes; hitherto the ma
GRITTY Of the people managed TO evade
lues 10 the government IN one way or
mother. Formerly only professionals,
oetors, lawyers, government EN-
,loyess, Industrial and commercial
rms were taxed, workmen and rich
ieSsants going free. Now taxation Is
o be extended 10 the agricultural
workers, small peasants and other
.lssses Of workers drawing good sal
eries. This extension Of the income
Ak 10 more than a million previously
xempted people will yield a revenue
mounting 70 a minimum Of 25,OOo, 900
re.
Mussolini has decided to give the de-
artments Of public service until the
oeginning Of the year TO reduce their
-xpenses; n a deficit still remains at
lat time these departments will be
anded over TO private enterprises.
'efore the war the railways yielded a
svenue Of 100000 lire, which paid
n interest on the 100000, 900 lire
'orrowed for the extension Of the
ines. Last year there was q deficit Of
more than l.OOO.OOO.OOO lire. One res-
on for this was certainly due 90 the
lrge number Of free passes; the rail.
7ays we're run practically for the
benefit Of these. a. the paying public
'eereased tremendously owing 70 the
aigh tariff
Reds Employed on Rails
Tho majority OF the rail employee,
ere Reds and the lines are heavily
'verstaHed. In an effort TO run the
ery'ee economically Mussolini hai
|. isken OF 500 trains and has refuseC
O.OO0 free passes for next year
F. hough the government eventuall,
iuEt hand over the control Of th,
ailroads 10 private enterprise as th,
My way to obviate the deficit How
r 10 whom this control will be giyer
still undetermined.
Several firms already have asked AZ
piion on the telephone service, bu'
difheulty presents itself In the ques
Ion as 10 what is 10 be done with tn,
go per cent surplus staf. which
naturally will be discharged as soon Al
private firm takes charge. Owing
this unemployment problem Musso
mi Is not taking any definite stepi
concerning the immediate future o.
be departments Of public service unit
ie has q clear plan ahead.
A change which shook the bureau
cratic world 10 its foundations was En-,
ransfer Of the Foreign ofiee from th,
cOnsulta Palace, opposite the Quirins
Palace. 70 the Chiga Palace, which for
nerly was the Colonial Ofhee. For ffty
years foreign Affairs had been con
Quoted in this old building. though
really the quarters were suitable only
for receptions and not for work. whil'
me former Colonial once IS q hugs
building. which Is not needed. con
sidsring the small amount Of Worl
done BY the colonial officials.
Quarters for Crown Prince
Mussolini has decided that the old
Foreign Once shall be turned over Al
a residence TO the Crown Prince. who
In now Of age and who requires 4 sep.
Arste establishment
One Of his first tets was TO replace
the crueihx and the Kings portrait IN
the schools. These were both removed
two years ago when the Reds were in
full power and we're debating TO the
government.
Through the Minister Of The Treas