COMMUNIST PRINCIPLES

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 1 March 1921, Page 18

COMMUNIST PRINCIPLES

ATTEMPTED APPLICATION FAILS. LONDON, February 23. The Daily Telegraph’s Milan correspond ent states that the attempt to apply Communist principles to a shipping company has failed. The Nitti Government, ,n 1920, gave a Genoese Communist agitator named Captain Giulietti a number of ahips, valued at 60,000,C00 lire, in order to constitute a Communist shipping company. Other ships were added later from tJovemment sources at nominal prices, fcut after a year’s experiment the venture •ndod in a formidably deficit, Captain duilietti pointing out Chat he was forced

to engage a crew of 52 to do the work ordinarily done by 26. The dining and smoking rooms for the crews greatly increased the expenses. The vessels may have to be sold in order to pay' the wages of the crews. WIDESPREAD DEMONSTRATIONS. ROME, February 23. Communists demonstrated in force in many towns yesterday, causing counterdemonstrations. Two members of the Chamber of Deputies, Signor Tassinari aud Signor Campanini, were wounded at Bari (near Brindisi). A member of the Chamber of Deputies, Signor Missiano, a Bolshevist, escorted by 7 100 carabinieri, checked a demonstration at Turin.

A CANDID CONFESSION. ROME, February 24. The secretary of the Italian Labour Confederation has prepared an exhaustive report on the Socialist-Labour processes during the last two years. He says that the principles hitherto followed have proved wrong, and that the frequent strikes have proved more disastrous to the workmen than to the employers; that strikes in the public service have only inflicted hardships on the public without damaging capitalism ; and that when wages were raised the labouring masses, who are the largest consumers were the chief suSerers.