MUSSOLINI’S PLAN

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 250, 19 July 1937, Page 16

MUSSOLINI’S PLAN

Economic Independence For Italy NECESSITY IN WARTIME Italy’s. struggle to attain complete economic self-sufficiency will be eneigctically pursued. Signor Lenito Mussolini announced in a recent speech to the National Council of Corporations, because “to lay down the .weapon of self-sufficiency would mean ■ to place one's self in case of war at the mercy of those who possess everything necessary to wage war without limitations of time and materials. ’ He hastened to add. however, that lie regarded economic self-sufficiency as ■‘a guarantee of that peace we liruily desire and an impediment, to a possible aggressive plan of richer nations. M hoever runs the risk of being strangled by the bonds of economic war knows what to think and how to acr,” he asserted. ■ , Mussolini indicated quite clearly (hat he regarded the struggle to attain economic independence as part of a war Fascism is fighting against the democratic countries, and lie did not overlook the opportunity in this, connection to make u rather sarcastic reference apparently directed at the United S tates. “So-Called Democracies.”

“For some time.” he said, “more or less responsible elements in the socalled great democracies (there would be much to be said about these democracies. beginning with that which up to a month ago had no knowledge of or forbade collective labour contracts) have seemed to think ibßi the so-called authoritarian States should give up their plans for economic independence -r-it is not clear in consideration of what compensation. “For us this is impossible because Italy does not wish to place herself bound and gagged in the hands, of her possible enemies of to-moriow. Mussolini’s speech was noteworthy in that it revealed the remarkable steps Italy has taken to render herself independent of imports, and indicated that, almost complete economic self-suf-ficiency is not an unattainable dream but an immediate possibility that will become a reality in a very few years. Italy has always been regarded as a country rich in man power but incapable of great industrial development because of lack of raw materials. Mussolini declared that she was well on the road to producing at home almost a totality of everything she needs both in peace and in war. Perhaps the most sensational statement that he made was that by the second half of next year Italy would not need to import any liquid fuels and lubricating oils except from Albania, since new industrial plants are now being built to supply all her needs in these two essential fields. In a rapid review of Italy’s situation at present and in the immediate future regarding all the most necessary raw materials. Mussolini painted the tollowing picture:— Coal: No coal of first-rate quality has yet been found in Italy, but the subsoil contains some hundred millions of tons of good coal. Coal mines exist in Istria and Sardinia whose production this year will exceed 1,000.000 tons and will be increased to 4,000,000 in the immediate future so as to supply about one-third of Italy’s total requirements. Complete independence in this field cannot be reached even by the electrification, of all railroads, but this fact should not cause anxiety, since there will always be one nation or more ready to make good Italy’s deficit. Iron: Italy’s iron industry is artiiL cial at present because it relies almost entirely on imports. How easily its sources of supply can be cut off is shown by the fact that the imports of more'than 1,000,000 tons in 1935 dropped to 400,000 in 1936, the year sanctions were imposed. Domestic iron production, however, is rapidly developing. It increased from 551.000 tons in 1935 to 900,000 in 1936 and will reach 1,100,000 this year. Italy’s total iron resources are estimated at between 30,000,000 and 40,000,000 tons, with a further reserve of 100.000,000, which is amply sufficient for all needs for a great number of .rears. Moreover, Italy is now producing 900,000 tons yearly of iron pyrites from which about 500,000 tons of iron is being extracted. Manganese and Copper. Manganese.—Very important reserves of manganese ore exist on the island of San Pietro and along the western coast of Sardinia. .Ten factories have been built for handling the orc, one of which is capable of dealing with 350 toils daily. The.capacity of this plant will be increased in the immediate future to 1000 and then to 1500 tons daily. The Italian manganese reserves are virtually inexhaustible. Nickel. —Ore exists in the valleys of Novara Province. Production has been delayed because its extraction has required that roads, ropeways and tunnels be built at a height of more than 6500 feet above sea level, but sufficient progress has been made to justify the erection of an important plant at Varallo Sesin. Copper.—lt has been found in Sardinia and work is proceeding actively, but it is not yet possible to hazard a guess as Io the quantities of ore likely to be found. Tin.—Complete self-sufficiency will soon be attained because of the high production from mines on Monte Maunu in Sardinia and Monte Valerio in Leghorn Province. Aluminium.—r Italy’s ore reserves of this arc inexhaustible and production is increasing so rapidly that there will soon be a surplus for export. The present goal is to reach a production of 40.600 tons yearly. Fuel Oils.—Two large plants are being constructed at Bari and Leghorn fo r treating Albanian petroleum and Italian legnite. Their capacity is such that in the second half of 1938 they will supply all Italian needs for fuel and lubricating oils. Cellulose.—Plants are already oper-a-ting in Mantua and Toimezzo and otliers are being built which will reduce imports to zero. Rubber.— Experiments for the production of synthetic rubber on an industrial scale are already so far advanced that a company with capital provided partly by the State and partly by private enterprise is about: to be founded and will permit Italy to achieve complete self-sufficiency in this field. Textiles.—A number of Italian textile fibres are already on the market and have met with such favour that a complete victory in this field also may be foreseen. Foodstuffs.—Great progress Ims been made, but. there are certain fields, notably meats and fats, in which much remains to be done. Mussolini added that the State had not abandoned its plan to nationalise some key industries, but had no intention of 'monopolising Italian economy. Some steamship companies and some shipyards have been placed under State control, but not all of them.

The guiding principle in this field, according to the Premier, is that the State may intervene where the public interest is paramount or where private initiative is insufficient. Meanwhile, Mussolini continued, the twenty-two corporations are beginning work aud having more important tasks assigned, in order Unit “the class war may lie overcome as a phenomenon belonging to a past age, or to the present age in those liberal and democratic countries that light freedom out of instinct for conservation without taking the trouble to study and understand it ” A great part in winning the Italian battle for economic independence, said Mussolini, will be played by Ethiopia. "Tlie present and potential resources of our empire are exceptional," he asserted. “I should not say this if 1 did not have documents in proof of it. A decisive contribution will be given by the empire witli its cotton, coffee, meals, hides, wool, timber, and precious metals, with gold in the first rank."