Evening star., 1933-01-19
DELLA SERA, Milan
The problems Of viniculture
are now receiving the earnest
- attention of the Congress at

~ attention of the Congress at
Rome. Both the cultivation Of
the grape and tho marketing OF the
wine have become yearly more pressing
questions due to increase of production
and a decrease In consumption, par
ticularly during the period OF the crisis
1t has now become necessary to reach
q mutually satisfactory agreement be-
tween all the wine-produclng countries
Of the Mediterranean principally Italy,
France Spain, Algiers and Greece, as
to the areas to be assigned for vine
growing in each country and the best
methods of obtaining an equitable di-
vision of the export trade. The in
creased production of wine for the past
two or three years Is, however, only
relative The greater surplus has been
due to diminished demand, and not &C
tually to larger production.
The gross output of wines for all
countries of the world in 1928 was 183,-
600 900 hectolters (4844, 100000 gel-
lon). In 1881 this total fell to 167,-
600 900 hectoliters, Of which quantity
the Mediterranean nations produceo
135 900 900 hectoliters 900 .0oo
gallons. A large proportion OF this
wine is necessarily consumed in Italy
because of the limitations Of export
trade, and is mostly Of small alcoholic
content, in the early stages OF natural
fermentation.
It Is regrettable that foreign demand
is not likely to increase measureably IN
the immediate future. Even should the
United States be opened again to the
wine trade, unless Italian wine were OF
very superior quality, it is likely 1t
would be subjected to a formidable COM
petition. America is a prodigtous grape
growing country, and capable, perhaps.
Of entirely supplying her own needs. II
not. the Argentine, Chile and Brazil, not
to mention the other vinicultural coun-
tries of South America, are, perhaps, IN
O position preferable to our own Tor
making deliveries to North America.
So it seems that only by drastic
lessening of production, and by assur-
ing the highest qualities of the output
that survives, will Italy, In competltlon
with the other Mediterranean nations,
be able to recover the trade with her
sparkling beverages which once COM
posed SO large and important factor
of her national industry. The main
STAY Of our commerce has been our
agriculture, and when this no longer
represents an asset in our foreign trade
the whole country cannot help but sus-
tain economic lethargy. 1t Is anxiously
hoped that the conference at Rome
NAV be successful, bettering the ex-
portation, not only of wine and grape
natural products, not only for Italy. but
for ell our sister nations Of the Medi-
terranean as well.
\ X \
Colombians Prefer
Ell TEMPO, Bogota According to ac-
curate statistics compiled by officials OF
the "Taxis Eojcs" (Red Cabs, 76,756
persons rode in these vehicles during
the fortnight comprehcnded between
the LIST and 18th of october. Senor
Cecilio Gutierrez, president of the COM
pany operating these usual conveyances,
SO much esteemed and employed by all
the people of Bogcta, takes pleasure IN
certifying to these figures. which we
publish as testimony that there can be
no penury really serious in the capital
when so many people still find 1t nec-
essary to use this means OF transpor-
| tation either for business or in con-
nection With social engagements.
The tariff of the "Taxis Rojos, while
extremely reasonabie-that Is to say,
the distance of 400 meters for cen
tavos, without first adding any fixed
charge for occupancy-is still consid-
erably higher than the rates Of travel
by tramway or autobus. That IN view
of these facts so many people still
prefer greater speed and comfort to the
| sole advantage Of a merely pecuniary
saving is, in our reflections. matter
Of significance and encouragement.
! Prison Rehabilitation
| Work Is Stressed.
Cape Times, Cape Town.-There hAs