The Wanganui Chronicle. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1939. ITALY’S DIFFICULTIES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 2, 4 January 1939, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1939. ITALY’S DIFFICULTIES

ITALY’S difficulties arise from her weakness as a nation. This weakness rests upon her geographical position. The country is narrow, important cities are on the sea coast, and consequently her vulnerability to attack is obvious. The second course of weakness lies in her economic set-up, for she has to import foodstuffs and raw materials. The rainfall in the Lombardy Plain is plentiful enough, but toward the south the rainfall becomes less and less, causing agriculture to be carried on precariously. Fuel is also in short supply and coal has to be imported from abroad. Since the war hydro-electricity schemes have been developed which have carried heat, light and power to very many towns and villages. Efforts have been made to drain the Poutine Marshes, and to turn them into graingrowing lands, and agriculture generally has been subjected to Governmental stimulation. . , Notwithstanding these efforts the absence of emigiants icmittances home, and the return home of Italian labourers with wages earned abroad, have seriously embarrassed the country, and then the tourist spendings fell away, making an even larger gap in the nation’s income. On the top of these misfortunes must be piled the cost of the maintenance of a large garrison in Lybia, the conquest of Abyssinia, and the participation in the war against the Spanish Government. Before Italy embarks upon further military adventures she is sure to scrutinise closely the accounts of the public exchequer. Still, all dictators must have their victories!