Wage Cuts in Italy As in France, so in Italy,
failure to balance the Budget is the cause of the decision to make cuts in the salaries of employees of the State and of other public bodies. But, needless to say, the Fascist Press does not indulge in any such recriminations as burst forth in the French Press. It only shows its awareness of the disgust which the cuts will cause by its endeavours to sugar the pill, pointing to the reduction in urban rents and the expected fall in retail prices which—if it happens—will off-set the reduc- tion in wages. Great, Britain, also, had to resort to wage-cuts at a moment of emergency when the Budget balance was threatened. But for Italy this is not the first but the second series of drastic economies imposed during the trade slump ; it falls upon workers ,whose standard of living is already painfully low ; andconun' on experience does not support the statements that the purchasing value of the lira has recently gone up. This last blow to wage-'arners will subject Fascist discipline to a severe test.
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