TO RAISE BIRTHRATE

Grey River Argus, 5 March 1937, Page 9

TO RAISE BIRTHRATE

ITALY’S NEW POLICY Seven Point Programme (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received March 4, 7.25 p.m.) ROME, March 4. The Fascist Grand Council met for the time at 10 o’clock last night, and adjourned at 1.25 a.m. to. day. The Council is again meeting on Saturday next. A communique is being issued later this morning. FASCIST GRAND COUNCIL (Received March 4, 10.20 p.m.) ROME, March 4. The Government has issued a communiqtie, which states: — . After listening to Signor Mussolini report on the birth of the Italian people, the Fascist Grand Council has approved »f the following seven point programme:— First: Preference is to be given to the fathers of large families in the matter of employment. Secondly: A policy of family wages is to be instituted, making the incomes proportionate to the burdens of the families as a whole. Thirdly: There is to be a revision of the present measures for encouraging large families, so as to ensure a steady standing of living for such families.

Fourthly: There shall b e instituted marriage loans, endowments and insur. anees for young workers. Fifthly: 'There shall be established a National Association, the members of which shall be fathers of large families.

Sixthly: There shall be a revision of the provincial communal boundaries in order to suppress those communes where an aged and declining popula, tion no longer needs the benefits of public institutions. Seventhly: The creation of a gen, eral organisation for the control and propagation of the Government’s policy for a higher birthrate. The Grand Council solemnly record, ed: “The birthrate problem, being the problem of life, its continuation is really the problem of problems, for without life there would be no youth, no military power and no economic ex. pansion to secure the future for the Fatherland. ’ ’ ITALIAN REPRISALS FOR ABYSSINIAN REVOLT. LONDON. March 3. Official quarters confirm the severity of the Italian reprisals at Addis Ababa, except, with regard to the 6000 dead, which is an (over-estimate. It is clear that the “civilising’’ mis. sion was carried out comprehensively. Fifteen inferior.type bombs were thrown by the Abyssinians in Addis Ababa, and several high officers, not mentioned by the Italians, were wounded. Many natives who are British subjects, were arrested, but were released before the massacre commenced. ROME, March 3. “It is nobody’s business except Italy’s” was the Government spokesman’s terse comment on the Abyssinian massacres. He added: Other Governments do not give information about the suppression of a colonial revolt, and we won’t either. The reports are exaggerated.