Evening star., 1932-09-20
ITALY HOLDS OFF
ECONOMIC CLOUDS
Discipline and MussoIini Get
Full Credit of Hopeful
Nation alt

ROME, Sept. 2O.-ItalyS claim that
economic clouds menace her less than
most other countries is being voiced
ever more loudly. -.
Primarily. this may be to keep up
courage. to convince Italians they are
better on here than people under other
forms Of government. Secondarily, al
though perhaps not avowedly. the claim
may be asserted to strengthen Mus
solini's hand In world affairs by In
creastng his prestige as a leader and
governor.
Discipline and organization are the
ofncial and unomctal explanations OF
how Italy is riding the storm without
disorder, much public complaint or
Roughly, official figures show drops
Of about one-third in all economic
tables. Taxation, nearly all indirect.
takes about 80 per cent OF the national
income. Unemployment was above q
million and Is now just comfortably
under that. The budget, like all
budgets, Is out Of balance.
Trade Falling on.
Wheat, which means bread and
macaroni, costs 31.35 bushel, while
the world market Is around so cents,
yet the farmers seem to need state
aid and big fund is devoted to sup
porting the market.
Yet there are evidences Of all this
only to those who watch closely, and
there are none Of the signs that might
presage disaster. Stores do little busi-
ness, statistics showing trade loss OF
two-fifths from three years ago: Yet
xh1 "a; 1ott
most Of them are unimportant.
Organization Of industry into MUS
solini's corporate state" is given credit
ofncially for keeping the ship steady:
Factory production has been curta1led
and rationed, In the sense that keen
has been eliminated. cer-
tain plants doing the things they are
supposed to be best adapted to do.
Labor, according to its defenders. has
had reasonably fair play, because COM
pulsory membership in the workers
representatives in all wage and work
arguments, and an appeal to the Duce
Is counted on to get justice II the regu-
lations don't At the case.
Wage scales, In labor statistics. show
an average cut Of cents an hour for
unskilled work, which with a Is per
cent reduction in the cost Of living
from the peak Of 1929, Is represented
as really being S per cent better than
then. and so per cent higher than be-
fore the war, in purchasing power.
planned as actually less than in nearly
all other countries, and far less OF
tragedy. The italian, 1t IS contended,
loves the land more than most
Europeans. Families are large and 1t
is said there are few. workers who do
not have many close relatives on farms.
On farms, whatever the family book
keeping shows, there always Is q roof
and food.
Country Cousin Helps.
To the farm, then. often goes the
workless worker. Or, the country
cousin sends an occasional basket to
the city cousin.
"A million unemployed never means
million hungry" says one economic
writer, telling of this farm and town
cooperation.
Those who do face hunger. again
have a chance at the organized relief
work inspired and directed py MUS
soltni. Every Fascist club in Italy was
ordered last Winter to run 6 spaghetti
Kitchen. so that none might go with
out at least one square but very simple
meal a day.
Churches, upon the Pope's order.
likewise have organized aid and at
present about 100000 persons get food
from parish charities. -
The governments billion-dollar bud
get IS about $125, 100000 in the red.
but government bond issues have had
marked success, so there Is no lack
of money or credit for the $13),000.000
public works campaign to furnish EN-
ployment.
This has been in progress for three
years, improving the highway system.
retaining land, developing water
power and electrifying railroads. the
two latter items to help free Italy from
tribute" abroad, buying coal
Sales abroad are down nearly third
from last year, but imports have been
reduced from 100000 bushels last
wear to one-third of that amount this
year, although other imported grains
have increased. The reduction Of total
grain imports. however. is SIS per cent.