NAVAL FORCES RAID LAMPEDUSA

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23971, 11 June 1943, Page 5

NAVAL FORCES RAID LAMPEDUSA

TWO OF LANDING PARTY FAIL TO RETURN (8.0. W.) RUGBY, June 9. It is officially announced in Malta that light surface forces carried out a coast reconnaissance of Lampedusa Island on June 6-7, and suffered no damage or casualties, though two men of a landing party did not return. The Rome radio says that a second Allied attempt to seize Lampedusa was repulsed with heavy losses.

ITALY’S WAR ECONOMY WEAKNESSES INDICATED BY REPORTS NEW YORK, June 9. “Italy's economic weaknesses are indicated in the latest reports reaching Washington on the food situation, coal and labour shortages, and the inflationary effects of war finance,” says the Washington correspondent of the “New York Times.” All the evidence reveals a severe shortage of food as a result of the large quantities sent to Germany. Although 1,000,000 acres of grassland have been ploughed for food production, the rations indicate that Italy's I food consumption is about half the minimum required for health and efficiency. “Germany has been unable to send 1,000,000 tons of coal a month to Italy as agreed. Milan’s coal ration last winter was 20 per cent, of normal. Labour and transportation shortages interfered with efforts to develop the small domestic coal and lignite output. “It is estimated that more than 300,000 Italian workers have been sent to Germany, seriously affecting Italy’s war industries. One quarter of the employees in Turin factories are inexperienced women. “It is suggested in some quarters in Washington that Italy’s economic weakness might lead her to capitulate in order to obtain help from the Allies, but some quarters protest against the use of Allied shipping to supply Italy if she surrenders, contending that this shipping should be more justly used to feed those who did not fight on Hitler’s side.”