European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 24, 1948, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 1 the stars and stripes March Italy economic future seen tied to elections b investors withhold funds pending vote result editors note with the Cru Cial italian elections less than a month and apprehension mounting by the Hoo lest the communist party score a superficially Legal Victory that would open All Western Europe to n flood of interest in Italy is naturally Fol lowing is a United press Survey of the economic background against Tuchich election us take to m e economic Hopes Are bound to the Fate of her rising slightly lowering Cost of living and Steps t o w a r d monetary stabilization offer great encouragement for but every economic expert ties optimism in with plans for Overall european Italy has always had to import raw materials to keep her Irr Dusty going and enough food to supplement her local depends on Export markets Jor her finished Industrial products and for the great Agri cultural produce that is imports today Are in Short although food needs Are amply the Export markets of prewar Days Are gone and have not been replaced with enough demand to help Italy get rid of the food now postwar As in other has resulted in High costs until Italy gets he items costs her Competition on the Export Market is a losing the hopeful Side of italian econ omy gives this picture crop a prospects this year due to mild Sunshine in Jan uary and february and Early imports of Pri Marily which forms the for the italian will remain unchanged for at least another and a Balf but by the if Ifft season Italy Hope Cut Back her wheat needs pre War 60 per cent of product is up to 70 per cent of steel and Iron it fran communists and socialists hold a rally in than leftists gather up hear speeches by Palmiro communist and Pietro socialist on fhe Palatine his Jav to celebrate the anniversary of the soviet i years ago Wareh 1943 troops begin shelling the Axis Airfield at Mezzo Una in the Mediterranean Sfer Eft 1944 the romanian legation in and confirms got Ioan occupation of March 1945 the Remagen Bridgehead across Rhine is announced now to he Miles Long and 18 Miles Marche Mauno Jekkals 3s named Naier of i heard 194t orders martial Law in the province Laconia Feere massacres of political opponents discovery of two comets reported by astronomer re ports of two new comets by served in Europe have been announced by Harlow director of the Harvard University r a Comet of the eight magnitude was reported in a cablegram from miss Vinter of of the 10th was reported by miss Pajdusak Oya and at Skal Nate the mechanical Industry is Able to utilize Only 25 percent of its Lack of raw materials still is the biggest bottleneck to capacity without which Verab costs can not be rising costs of vital raw materials help boost prices of finished labor troubles further Man pow still is one of Italy biggest head the in almost Siree left some persons out of emigration is viewed As the Only real Hope for of this surplus labor since Industry expand fast enough to meet the population wealth Stottl is being bed tick Market is unsettled by Many recapitalization schemes and recapitalization rather than an expansion of Industry generally is aimed at bringing new Money into established businesses just to them St riels government credit controls Are directed at forcing industrialists to put their hoarded wealth Back into elections in april hold the key to this phase of Italy Economy since most industrialists admit frankly that they Are waiting to see the communists Are going to do before risking their wealth in businesses which May be Trade balance of Trade still imports exceeded exports by an average of lire monthly last vegetables an fruits still Are Italy Best Export items but the loss of the German the Best outlet of prewar left italian growers with no place to Send their this Bas caused1 cutbacks this year in the planting of Rice and grown primarily for sex Citrus fruits Are particularly hard hit by the loss of the Export Market and High production costs in sic flan crops have been Good for tag years but Little advantage to Farmers who cant get rid of their produce on the available markets because picking and shipping costs their prices top High to be competitive with fruit from the near Cost of Cost of living still is High for the average italian but is dropping very to cause optimism among even hardheaded professional before the 60 percent of the average income went for to Day to takes 75 to 85 percent of Normal family income to buy the Baste wages have gone up to 50 tunes the prewar level but Are still lagging behind Price rises in the same the economists is full production to meet Thede Mand at borne and thus Force prices but industrialists claim they cant boost production soundproof tourism hotel planned for atom project hotel men have announced plans to profit the hush of atomic by erecting a 20unit tourist hotel whose rooms will be completely sound because of one of the future visiting scientists at Oak Ridge will have to worry about confidential convert nations being without More raw materials and the Power to Cut their padded payrolls Downto Italy financial experts see reason for Hope it All these fac tors and the trends indicated by the improving general they feel that Italy i financially better off than any other War damaged country in Europe be cause she has almost in her reach but All feel that the political questions raised for the april general elections Bear too heavily on Italy future to permit any Flat prediction of can Hope to in the next 12 we have two economies in a professor one is a political Economy and the other until politics decides what it is going to the financial Economy is going to tie Short army term wan acc one reason mangoes sign up Foi the service he must enlist for three a person has had no pre military that is a big you find career is Are career men because they what the military service Hai offer after being forced in the men who Are finished High school or College Are going to make the military career unless they have Soracy to help and that is my idea comes three one time is a mighty big and if a person should serve t in the army without liking he knows it will be hard to into something present cruising policy not quaely Why not set up some Cam with Alf the equals of the a with opportunities for men train Here for six months be wig being expected to sign a Thrif year this would to let them get acquainted the army As Well As the finding potential it person who  self to army standards could East it quits at the end of month could go editors note the letter with signature was referred to the director personnel and adm Nistra for his follows with the resumption of orients in the regular army it was possible for individual to initially enlist of one is two or three two years minimum since in the department army had 3 training a recruit was pro i balanced against thei festive service remaining to enlistment of less than Fly ultimate worldwide assign but the individual rho tracked for less than Tito could in the be considered for of duty in that his effective time would be preclude Transfer outside the the writers suggestion its Broad counterpart proposal now in congrewf1 so much of 4j discharge Pur has been suspended for ration of the War plus six at such time As this basis discharge becomes individual May to Nance a for disc wire after of his the stars and stripes 109 Macb Unity editor chief Wliilam St Samn executive John ked managing Kea Zumwal sports Jacoc t manager Maurice Kurkt chief of distribution Bernard Mcguig news bureaus Frankfurt 281322su Stuttgart 48148 Wiesbaden Bremerhaven 2228032202t Munich the european edition is published daily for the Vorees under the auspices troop information and education service Eti com the stars and Pungs tact correspondence she be addressed to 7wth stars and Apo 9 mail to the new York office should be sent to Wash this is not an official publication of s Ahi Reeh Terete As second class matter at the pot at new York under the act of March