CONDITIONS IN ITALY

Evening Star, Issue 24012, 10 October 1941, Page 6

CONDITIONS IN ITALY

FOOD SITUATION SERIOUS NN HARVEST PAR7IV UNMI (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 8. 'A number of reports have recently reached the Ministry of Economic Warfare indicating the seriousness, of the Joed situation in Italy. ' Outlining the situation/ the Ministry spokesman said that probably the greatest cause of food shortage was the poorness of the harvest. Tliis could not fee made good by imports since nothing could be imported over land save with German concurrence, and Germany hereelf required virtually the whole of the European surplus, while'imports by sea ■were prevented by the'British blockade. Since two-thirds of Italian workingclass diet consisted of farinaceous food —spaghetti, etc.—the wheat shortage was far more disastrous than it would be in most other countries. The effect of the food shortage would largely fall ion the townspeople—half the Italian .population are peasants—since the peasant producers of olives,_ etc., could not ibe prevented from eating as much as . rfchey liked nor from hoarding. The spokesman suggested that the ordinary Italian worker would not get more than half the amount of farinaceous foods he consumed before the war, and . that his diet would not be sufficient this winter to enable him to work with full efficiency. The rich, of course, were still able to buy more or less what they wanted, but at very high prices. A particular source of (bitterness to the Italians was the fact, «f which all were aware, that the Germans in' Italy, both civilians and military, were receiving much better food jthan were the Italians themselves. A certain amount of food was also being taken to Germany. All cereal food, fats, and (unofficially) meat were now rationed throughout Italy, Meat was very scare and the ordinary worker was lucky if he managed to get three ounces s week. His bread ration was seven ounces a day, and he got just over lib jof spaghetti and other similar foods •ach week.

MESSAGE TO AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER

RR CHURCHILL’S GOOD WISHES (British Official Wireless.) fßec. 11.18 RUGBY, Oct. 9. The Prime Minister (Mr Churchill) Bent a telegram to the Prime Minister of Australia in reply to the recent message sent by Mr Curtin: “ I thank you for your on assuming the direction of the Commonwealth’s affairs, and cordially reciprocate the good wishes it contains. You may be sure we shall work with you on a basis »f the most intimate confidence and Comradeship.”

KING IN LIVERPOOL

TALKS WITH SAILORS ' . / (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 8. The King Visited Liverpool on Wednesday, meeting officers and men of deetroyers and corvettes which escorted British convoys as well as of the merchantmen themselves. The King inthe latest devices being used to defeat the U-boats and. bombers. The crews of Allied merchantmen were presented to the King; who also had a talk with a lascar seaman who had been over 40 years at'sea. The King heard from Captain Henry how he and 70 British seamen, with gome Norwegians, escaped from Norway early this year. They had been captured when their ship was sunk in the Battle of Narvik, and they practically starved in prison. Escaping over the border to Sweden in a blizzard after great privations, they remained Bidden for 10 months, and planned a journey to _ England. Eventually they stole down to a port-and set Bail unmolested across the North Sea, meeting only a few aeroplanes.

EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS

HO FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS LONDON, October 8. Responsible quarters in London state jtbat there 'is do prospect of further I negotiations with the Germans for some ; time regarding the exchange of | wounded prisoners, says the ‘ Daily .‘Telegraph.’ It is understood that the Ifcar here was that the Germans might ihavo kept both hospital ships, as well as the crews and medical staffs, if the I (vessels were sent to Dieppe.

EAGLE SQUADRON PILOTS

TWO RECEIVE AWARDS FOR GALLANTRY (British Official Wireless.) '(Rec. 11.18 a.m.) , RUGBY. Oct. 9. Two American, pilots of the No. 71 iJCagle Squadron have received the jR.F.C. for gallantry. They are Acting ;Flight-lieutenant C. G. Peterson and Flight-lieutenant G. A. Raymond, both of the R.A.F. Peterson, whose age is 23, has taken part in 42 operations and sorties, and destroyed two, and probably two more, and damaged another hostile aircraft. Raymond is 27. His operational missions include sorties over northern France and convoy patrols. He has destroyed five aircraft;

THE COAL PROBLEM

MANNING THE MINES (British Official Wireless.) s(Eec. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, October 9. The Secretary of Mines, answering a question in the House of Commons, said up to October 6 23,000 examiners had been accepted by the coal owners under the registration scheme. The latest figures had shown that the men actually at work on September 27 numbered 1.10,000 face workers aud 9,100 others.