in 1923, that is ten per cent. In the most important industrial centres the reduction is greater : Turin, from 18.97 to 16.54 lire. Milan, from 17.80 to _16.17 lire. Genoa, from 22.80 to 20.28 lire. Bologna, from 19.00 to 16. 56 lire. --that is thirteen per cent. If, then, the national economic inaices show that the slow and painful reconstruction following the damage of the war still continues ; if the indices of capitalist profits are increasing; and if only wages are decidedly diminishing; the conclusion is_that the existing regime has brought no extraordinary improvement in economic conditions in the country as a whole, but has made only this innovation-that economic recovery is continuing, but at the exclusive cost of the poorer classes. 7. Unemploymtnt, emigration, strikes. Official statistics record a marked diminution of industrial unemployment. Monthly average 1920 143,833 1921 445,000 1922 409,390 1923 (eight months' average) 261,494 But the statistics lack uniformity and are hardly worth attention. In 1920-21 the statistical returns were entrus_ted to the Communes, and were made the basis of the grant of assistance and of relief works. It was thus evidently to the interest of the compiling authorities to swell the figures, which were not methodically collected. Now the data are collected in the_Prefectures by Government .. commissioners, who work on restrictive lines, demanding personal report and a severe test which, especially in the rural districts, ends apparently in eliminating 8 Biblioteca Gino Bianco
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