Mr. Taylor: Has the food subcomission been active in that respect in   
Arezzo and Florence?
 
 
 
     Brig. Parkinson: Yes, everywhere I think that has been fairly well taken   
care of, in proportion to the amounts available. I have found that the Food   
Subcommission always responds to the best of its ability.
 
 
 
     Mr. Taylor: You were telling me about the conversion of salvaged   
material which you were able to get from the Army.
 
 
 
     Brig.Parkinson: I have some samples with me; this is some of the work.   
There has been a lot of discussion about trying to make over the salvaged   
material from the discarded garments of the armies. The Military Mission in   
Italy has first choise as to the use of these salvaged garments. Anything   
that can be used to uniform the Italian troops, that can be successfully dyed   
and repaired, is used for this purpose. Some of the welfare officers of the   
Public Health Subcommission of AC thought that use could be made of the   
remainder of the salvaged material. The Public Health Officer in Naples   
organized a workroom employing 50 women with sewing machines. It is set up on   
a production basis and the bales of salvaged material are cleaned and   
disinfected and taken through the factory step by step. The material is cut   
up, buttons removed, and then this passes on into the next room where useable   
pieces are cut and sewn together to make blankets. The factory is growing   
rapidly and now covers six rooms. They have produced about 10,000 articles,   
including 7,000 blankets, all from salvaged Army material. In the northern   
area the blankets are extremely valuable. May I show you some examples of   
clothing prepared in these workrooms? {At this point he showed some extremely   
valuable children's garments manufactured from salvaged material, including   
cloth shoes for infants) May I remind you that these are all made from the   
second pickings of the salvage, after the material from MMIA has been   
withdrawn?
 
 
 
     Ing. Galeazzi: Where is that done?
 
 
 
     Brig. Parkinson: In Naples.
 
 
 
     Mr. Taylor: These are made from the second picking of the waste material   
from the Army?
 
 
 
     Brig. Parkinson: Yes. This Welfare Officer at the North told the one in   
Naples about it and he has been the first in the field. The waste material   
from the factories has been handed over to an orphanage so that there is a   
third subproduct and may I show you these garments made by the nuns? May I   
call special attention to the shoes made by the Sisters?
 
 
 
     Mr. Taylor: So now there is nothing left--they have used everything. And   
what quantity of the production does this represent?
 
 
 
     Brig. Parkinson: This particular work is in its infancy and can be   
developed. But the largest production is from the second group where 50 women   
are worKing over the material and scraps from the second pickings; so long as   
we can get the material and Keep it up. 
 
 
 
     Mr. Taylor: Couldn't you get institutions to work on this?