Evening star., 1947-11-07
Austerity in Britain
With France and Italy and Despite Great Hardship She Is
Better Off Than Some Neighbors
By Senator Millard E. Tydings

ard E. Tydines
French railway system is operating with only
80 per cent Of the serviceable rolling stock that
was on hand in 1888. 1900 miles OF rail- lines
had to be completely replaced.
A large number of towns and villages in the
path OF the nberating armies were damaged or
destroyed during the closing year Of the war.
Rebuilding of these cities and towns Is taking
place. About $4,000 Frenchmen lost their
lives during the war;
Lack of Balance in Distribution.
The French food situation is suffering more
from unequal distribution than from an actual
shortage Before the war; the French were
among the best fed people in the world. Dur
ing 1945-46, as result of the war and q
drought the French daily ration was reduced
from a prewar standard Of 5000 calories per
person to $500 calories. OF this amount, the
French harvest supplied 1900 calories, and large
scale imports of cereals, fats, meats and dairy
products raised it to an average of 2,500 How
ever, these caloric figures, while valid, do not
give the full picture. Farmers are consuming
at least as much as prewar, we'll over 5000
calories day. Others of the people in rural
areas are also eating well. The inhabitants of
the cities who are able to afford high black
market prices receive disproportionately large
supply of the food The unskilled laborer in
the cities must spend almost his entire salary
on food for himself and his family. In short,
country people in France are eating well, about
30 per cent of the preWar food consumption.
City workers are living on about go per cent
OF their prewar consumption of food.
This situation has been largely caused by the
uncertainty concerning the ultimate value OF
French money and the lack of manufactured
articles which could be purchased by the
farmer. The partial answer to Frances dilem-
ma is, of course, more production OF manu-
factured goods and the trade unions in France,
realizing this fact, have given up the five-day
week and are working six days at present.
Frances uncertain currency condition greatly
retards recovery. The farmer would sell his
food to the city people in greatly increased
volume If he was certain the money he re-
ceived for that food would not further de-
cline in purchasing value. Before France,
therefore, can regain economic health, her cur
rency system will have to be revised stabilized
and strengthened. This seems to me to be one
OF the key points in French rehabilitation
Italy Working to Recover.
Italy also has had her share of damaged and
destroyed ports, cities and towns. Many of
the docks, quays and warehouses which were
war casualties have been partially repaired.
However, In such great harbors as Genoa,
Naples Palermo and La Spezia many large and
small craft which were sunk remain in the
harbor obstructing navigation. Repair and
restoration of bombed industries, homes and
other buildings seem to be progressing at a
conmendable rate.
Italys main problems are her serious short
age of food, her weakened and insecure cur
rency system and her inability to get raw ma
terials for her industrial rehabilitation.
To begin with, Italy has more people than
her land will support Her population num-
bers about 46,500oO0. Much Of the land Is
mountainous and unsuited for agriculture.
Indeed, most of her food production comes
from a single fertile triangular area, only
$50 miles long and 100 miles at its base.
Even the Italian fishing industry bsfore the
war was unable to supply italy with her full
domestic requirements.
OF the food produced in Italy, there seems
to be enough to furnish but 1000 calories per
person daily. This Is far below diet which will
either support health or furnish energy suf-
ficient for manual labor. Hence, Italy must
import food to live.
On the monetary side there has since the
wars end been progressive depreciation of the
lira. Only aid from the United States both
directly and through UNRRA, has kept the
lira from soaring into the field Of super
imitation.
The new De Gasperi government which came
in last June has adopted stern and far
reaching program for the stabilization of the
lira and seems determined to carry out that
program irrespective of political consequences.
This program includes notable effort toward
enforcement Of tax collection the levying Of
new taxes, the control of bank credit, severe
control over grain pooling operations and rigid
watchfulness over all governmental expendi-
lures. So far, this has met with signal success
in the sterilization of foreign exchange values
of the Ira and 1t Has produced marked in
crease in governmental revenues. Notwith-
standing this, there Is . continued rise in the
cost OF food and the cost Of living.
Generally, the italian people seem to be
working and trying to dig themselves out Of
their difficulties. Their new government has
administered . series Of defeats to the large
Communist element within Italy. Generally
speaking, considering the difficulties with which
it is confronted, Italy seems to be making
commendable bid for better and democratic
way of life.