The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. MONDAY, MAY 24, 1920. ITALIAN POLITICS.

Auckland Star, Issue LI, 24 May 1920, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

MONDAY, MAY 24, 1920. ITALIAN POLITICS.

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Signor Nitti's decision to form a Cabinet shows that he has succeeded in effecting a compromise with Signor Meda, the head of the clerical party. The history of the crisis is not without interest at the present time to countries outside Italy, for political developments there show a notable reaction against the teachings of the [Bolsheviks and extreme Socialist doctrines. At tihe last election in Italy the Socialists returned 156 members and the clericals 102. In the previous election there were less than fifty Socialists returned, -while the Clericals were not only insignificant in number, but were divided up into scattered groups, and hardly counted for anything as a political force. The reason for the large growth of the . Socialist party is to be found in the fact that this party stood for a definite peace policy, and was opposed to the grandiose schemes of men like Gabrielle d'Annunzio. Signor Nitti made this clear in a speech made soon after the last election, when -he said: "The Socialists do not, in the main, stand for a programme of revolution. They body forth a troubled state of mind wlhich the Avar has created in all countries. Europe wants no fresh wars, and as the Socialists look like the party most resolute against fighting they win votes. Our Socialists point onward to a grand industrial democracy, now in course of formation. It will bo their destiny, sooner or later, to adopt a positive lino, of action, instead of mere criticism." IBut this was only partly true, -for the Socialists numbered some extremists who preached pure Bolshevism and endeavoured to foment a revolution which should be entirely subversive of tbe whole existing order of things.

Up to a certain point the Clericals i supported the Socialists, and hence it was possible for Signor Nrtti, who stands for social democracy, to form a Government from, both Clericals and Socialists. The Clericals stood for proportional representation and votes for women, an elected Senate, the reform of the bureaucracy and the judicial system, aa well as of the methods of legislation. They laid great stress on home- rule for communes and provincial assemblies, and decentralisation of government as far as possible. They proclaimed themselves the champions of liberty, and subscribed to the manifesto of the "Italian People's party," which set out its aims as being the realisation of ideals of justice and freedom, the bettering of the general conditions of labour, the establishment of a - just balance between national privileges and international interests. -But they set their face against anything savouring of revolution. They declared that it was nothing but folly to suppose that immediate change of existing institutions was required for the good of the proletariat, and it was worse than folly to imagine that anytihing savouring of direct action could possibly increase the productive power of the country. They declared that the certain consequence of direct action, were it to succeed, would be industrial ruin, discredit abroad, and famine at homo. They were willing for reform; they "would support democracy and move with the time, and in economics they were prepared for great changes; but under no circumstances ■whatever would they rapport anything savouring of Bolshevism or revolution. Question, were bound to arise where the extreme Socialists would come in conflict with, the Clericals, and then it would remain to be seen how far the moderate section of the Socialists would go with the extremists. They appear to have chosen rather to ally themselves with the Clericals, but to-day's message suggests that owing to the sensational rise of Clerical influence the position is still unstable.