The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-07-20

These ships were commissioned by the United States, the Philippines, Great Britain, Norway, Portugal, Roumania and Sweden.
 These are just a few of Italy's customers. Argentina, Brazil, Chili, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, China, Greece, Poland, Spain, Turkey and even Soviet Russia are others who have had mercan- tile and military units on the ways in Italian shipyards. Negotiations are under way with Brazil, Chili, and Venezuela for contracts for the construction of ships and sub marines.
 Good Business For All
 Why these nations, some impor- tant shipbuilders themselves, should come to Italy to have ships built may seem surprising. The truth, however, is that it is very good busi- ness.
 Italy's shipyards can underbid any of the reliable ship builders in the world. This is possible be- cause Italian labor is cheap and because Italian shipyards do not operate on the principle of profit.
 Surprisingly as it may seem, it is good business, not from the point of view of the buyers alone, but from Italy's as well. There are three reasons why Fascism is mak- ing bid for this business.
 Premier Benito Mussolini does not believe in the dole. Actually he has a deep mistrust for any system which encourages idleness through state subvention. His theory is to keep labor occupied, even on reduced schedules and at reduced wages. The Duce knows that occu-. pied workmen are happier than the jobless on dole.
 With unemployment looming large in Italy as in other countries due to critical times, Mussolini reduces it to minimum by applying his theories of reduced salaries and re- duced schedules. He also tries to keep as many workmen as possible occupied on jobs for foreign con- sumption.
 Yards Kept Active
 Shipbuilding is one such resource. In this way the Duce keeps his shipyards active, their equipment tuned up and thousands of men on the job, at no cost to the nation.
 Shipbuilding for foreign nations is also good advertising for Italy. Italys prestige is heightened just that much more each time a new keel is laid for a foreign customer.
 Another and vastly more im- portant reason is that it enables foregin exchanges to flow into Italy Steel and other materials required in shipbuilding, not found within the peninsula, usually are obtained through barter. The ships themselves, with few exceptions, are sold for foreign cash. Sometimes, as in the case o Poland, ships are exchanged for coal. Three submaries recetly constructed for Brazil also were paid for with coffee, cotton, frozen meat and other supplies.
 
 The two units recently completed and consigned by Italian ship yards were the 28,000-ton Stockholm for the. Svenska- America Line of Sweden and the 7,700-ton Vega for the Bergenske = Dampskibsselskab Line, Bergen, Norway. The Stock holm was the largest foreign pas senger liner ever to be constructed in Italy. Both ships are stream lined-motorships powered by Diesel engines and both were built in the Monfalcone Shipyards at Trieste.
 Of the 1a units under construc- tion one is a passenger ship for Portugal. It was recently launched at Ancona. It is of 700 tons and will be put into colonial service.
 There are four mixed freighter and passenger ships of 5000 tons each being constructed for Ru- mania and two 8,650-ton freighters for Norway.
 Italian yards also are working on 12 ocean-going oil tankers. Six are for American companies for total of 51.800 tons, three for the Philippines for total of 25 900 tons and three for Great Britain for 16,000-ton total
 
 Stockholm. Sweden claims the