-4- 5. I brought up the question of the wage basis in Italy and asked if 78 lire was the base rate for wages. I was not entirely satisfied with the discussion on this point for it appears that while the base rate of pay in certain sections is 78 lire per day the government has prevailed upon the employers to add to it another 40 life per day making the wage ll8 lire per day. This applies of course only to those who have jobs. I inquired if any provision was made for those with a family who were without jobs and he said that it had not been done on a national basis but that it had been undertaken to administer simple relief where needed but no plan of unemployment payment had been adopted. He felt that there was work enough in Italy if permitted to function under its own direction and with its own facilities in major aspects without introducing at this time, when such a tremendous opportunity exists, such a plan but at a later time if unemployment developed they would consider a plan of unemployment allowances. I inquired the average number in an Italian family. He replied ght be five in southern Italy and in northern Italy probably 6. The Prime Minister referred to the need of reconstructing the railroads offering as it does a tremendous opportunity for employment. In that field it would be essential to have quantities of copper as the Germans as well as the Italians denuded the railroad electric system of all the copper they could commandeer. I indicated that it would probably require considerable time to produce the motive power to operate the railroads whether it were electric or with any ether sort of motive power, the alternative to which was transportation coastwise by ships or over the reads by truck. 7. I raised then the question of the political situation in northern Italy which might develop after it is conquered to which the answer seems to be that they expected very great difficulties when Rome was liberated but that with careful handling they had overcome in general the opposition to the government and had been given a measure of support that was not anticipated. They felt that, while the northern industrial area and the partisans might impose a problem~ they had the fullest confidence that it be met and overcome by the same methods employed in southern The Prime Minister spoke with satisfaction of his relations with General O'Dwyer who seemed to grasp the problems... |