ITALY’S ECONOMY

Grey River Argus, 10 June 1943, Page 5

ITALY’S ECONOMY

Evidence of Weakness (Rec. 9.40.) NEW YORK, June 8. The “New York Times’s” ■ Washington corresponent says: Italy’s economic weaknesses are indicated in the latest reports reaching Washington on the food situation, coal and labour shortages, and inflationary effects of war finance. This evidence reveals severe shortage of food as a result of large quantities sent to Germany. Although one million acres of grasslands have been ploughea for food production, rations indicate that Italy’s food consumption is about two-fifths of normal, thus having about half of the minimum required for health and efficiency. Germany had been unable to send one million tons of coal monthly to Italy, as agreed. Milan’s coal ration last winter was twenty 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 three hundred thousand Italian workers were sent to Germany, this seriously affecting Italy’s war industries. One quarter of the employees in the 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 protest against the use of Allied shipping to supply Italy if she surrenders, contending that this shipping could more justly be used to feed those who did not fight on Hitler’s side.