ITALIAN STRIKES

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23260, 23 July 1945, Page 5

ITALIAN STRIKES

Protests xXgainst Allied Policy LONDON, July 20. The political strikes and disturbances staged last week in many of the chief cities of northern Italy were partly a prated against the Allied occupation authorities’ supposed tendency to favour capitalist interests, states Reuter’s correspondent in Rome. The disturbances occurred against' a background of economic deadlock partly resulting from enforced idleness of a majority of worker.; through I lack of fuel and raw materials. Social legislation compels idle industries to maintain a full staff at I three-quarters of their normal salary. I This is paid from State subsidies. A majority of factory owners are I mostly in hiding or imprisoned, and ■ the management has passed into the I hands of commissioners, who a»e often assist ed by rkers’ fa dory councils. These arrangements are subject to i constant negotiation between the Allied Militai G rnrnenl and the | various half-recognised committees of national liberation. General unrest and friction, short | of a general strike, were shown in | Venice yesterday arising from the : Allied nomination of a pure,a commission superseding those nominated by the various local liberation committees. Similar reasons are causing other local strikes and unrest. Prisoners Attempt Escape (6.30 p.rn.l ROME. July 21 1 More than 1000 criminal prisoners 1 attempted to escape from Regina Co li prison in riots lasting manv hours The attempt was thwarted by hundreds of policemen reinforced by Carabinieri and armoured cars. The rioters overpowered the guards seizdd the keys and reached the door of the prison where they were halted by additional guards and soldier. The prison, now reported quiet, is completely surrounded by police.