ITALY BUYING NEW IDEAS

Taranaki Daily News, 28 January 1933, Page 3 (Supplement)

ITALY BUYING NEW IDEAS

SIGNOR MUSSOLINI’S SPOT CASH.

SECRET PURCHASE FUND.

Italy is secrecy making a “corner”; in the world’s brains. To , epable him to capitalise the opportunities, that will arise when the present era of depression has passed away, Mussolini, it was disclosed to a correspondent of; the- Sunday Chronicle on December 4, has for some time past been actively buying ideas and secret processes with which to usher in a new epodi: of ,• Italian industrial supremacy. . i. . _ Tens of thousands, of pounds, it is stated, are being spent on the scheme. For months past agents of the. .Puce' have been purchasing, patents, ; valuable commercial processes and. even ffie share ideas for industrial and social development. The result is that to-day Italy' (has a monopoly of a large number of improvements and new developments with which she will endeavour to steal - a ' march on the nations when-the opportune moment comes. ‘‘ ■. < These' behind-the-scenes, activities, which have been kept a close secret, began 12 months ago when a valuable invention relating to dyeing caipe ,within, an ace of slipping out of Italy’s . hands.. The matter was brought to Mussolini's notice and within a Week he had drawn up the plans which are now resulting in Italy getting her hands on the cream of the world’s inventions. ’.. . . At once a fund of, it is believed, £160,000 was voted for “special purposes,” and that fund is under his personal control.

Consular and other agents in practically every country are told to look out for pew ideas connected with a' fist of manufactures suited for development in Italy. , ■ Particulars are quickly obtained', and within a few days, or even a few hours, two or more Italian experts are on the spot ready to investigate, and, what is of infinitely more importance, ready to, deal for cash.

Two or three instances are known of the purchase of a process for something like a 20th of its value, because the' owner—in one case a well-known North of England man —was so utterly wearied of the procrastinations, lack of faith and lack of courage .among investors and business men in England. Out of the fund money is also provided for actual manufacture' to be started on a small scale. Then Mussolini’s commercial genius comes in again. A com-

pany, with perhaps 50 times , the capital is formed to take over the whole thing. There is no lack of subscribers, for the processes have practically the backing of the Government, and are ready to begin making money, immediately. Three other processes, one allied to photography, another to tinned goods,. and: a third to brown coal have been , snapped up in England recently. One of these, a positively proved successs,: was. to have been floated in the city a year, ago for £150,000, but the thing hung fire until the inventor, .could hold out no longer. It is believed that the figure at wh;ch he sold to Mussolini was about £BOOO ready money.