The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-01
FASCISTS TO
LOOT WHILE
GOING is GOOD
Women Workers Feel
the Iron Heel
lspseIaI 70 Ths DaIIy Worker,

WAShlNQION, Ang. 30. - ReYela-
lions of conditions in Italy under the
fascist dictatorship are made in re-
cent issue Of Labor" by its CORE
spondent in Italy. THE big business
men, who own the fascist party" he
writes from Rome, ARE out for get
rich-Quick profits. So, having de-
stroyed unions. outlawed strikes and
forced wages to the lowest level, un-
der 81 day, they are getting down
to the brass tacks of frightening
hours. Skim the cream thick, while
the skimming is good'-that is, before
Mussolini disappears from the stage. &"
Limits Newspapers.
The fascist government has recently
made the following decree laws: linn
iting newspapers to six pages daily,
prohibiting new bars, pastry shops
and restaurants, permitting no new
house building, and permitting en-
ployers Immediately to add one hour
to the working day. He summarizes
quiet comments Of the Italians on the
above decrees-"nobody talks out loud
in Italy," he says-as follows:
The Loot Divided.
''Fascists who want bars, or cook.
shops, or fascists who want villas, will
get the licenses. or permits, the same
as before, others need not apply
Newspapers are only six pages any.
way. the gesture will enable the gov
eminent to get rid Of some Of the
costly subsidized fascist press. But
the ninth hour-that will be enforced,
Immediately"
There Were Strikes.
The fascist press proudly asserted {:
There will be no strikes about the
extra hour" but soon the papers con-
tanned this item:
"Genoa-The 900 employees Of the
iute works went on strike today
Fascist militia forces Of 600 occupied
the factory. Seven women leaders
were arrested"
Later followed the story Of what
happened to the women leaders. They
were sent to prison for from eight to
ten months, with fines added which
practically ruined their families.
Women First Victims.
at is significant" says Labor's cor
respondent, that women workers
were the first victims of the dictator's
new laws"
The anti-strike DEGREES provide
prison terms up to one year with fines
srs, and Imprisonment nTlb u strsk,
years with fines up to 10000 lire for
strike leaders.
Meanwhile" writes the correspond
emit, despite the grand American
debt settlement, cancelling IS per cent
Of the debt, the exchange value Of the
lire steadily slumps, slumps.
High Living Costs.
"Also in the report of the Rome
chamber of commerce are buried the
figures showing the rising, rising cost
Of living, an index figure Of 151 this
month as compared with 141 last year,
and 100 for 1920.
also it is shown that bread is a
cent a pound costlier, and sugar 20
cents pound dearer, than last year
since the taxes put on last autumn"
Referring to the wholesale worsen-
ing of the workers conditions under
the fascist tyranny, which is obvious
to all, he says:
Gunmen Stalk Streets.
"But you say little of that in Italy.
The belted and pistoled and be-
dubbed militiamen stalk the streets.
The cafes have signs Swearing and
politics forbidden"
1.-TWO persons near me, having do
nestle argument in restaurant, one,
a woman, happened to say, Why, no
one can speak to me like that, not
even Mussolini.'
Immediately the proprietor stepped
over and very quietly suggested it was
better not to talk that way"