Unrest in Italy

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25549, 17 July 1948, Page 6

Unrest in Italy

The outbreak of armed violence in Italy, and the general strike of 7,000,000 workers, which succeeded the attempted murder of the Communist leader, Mr Togliatti, represent a determined attempt by the Confmunists to paralyse the Government and national life, and thus interrupt the work of rebuilding Italian economy. The Communists’ moves are their first major action since their electoral defeat last April. They follow the main line of Communist policy as outlined by Mr Pietro Secchia, deputy general secretary of the Italian Communist Party, in the Cominform journal on June 15. He wrote then that the battle had reached a new and tougher phase, and there must be “ no concession to those who advo- “ cate ‘ the worse things get, the " ‘ better it will be for us but a “ resolute struggle against the op- *’ portunist influences of Social “ Democracy ”. His remarks have been interpreted by the “ Econo- “ mist ” as meaning that war with the capitalists must be intensified, and revolution will be a method of carrying out policy. Since their; electoral rebuff the Communists have not been powerful enough to continue their political struggle effectively in Parliament. In the Chamber of Deputies the Popular Front has only 182 deputies against 392 of all other parties, and in the Senate it is represented by 115 sena- i tors in a total of 365. Outside Parliament the Communists’ situation has been little better. With a strong and fresh mandate from the people, the Prime Minister (Mr de Gasperi) has shown firm leadership, and the ride of anti-Communism has been • rising. The ability of the Communists. to resort to armed violence has ’

been- reduced by Government seizure of very large clandestine arms deposits, nearly all of which have been Communist-owned. Mr de Gasperi’s reported statement to representatives of the Communistled General Labour Federation that the Government intends to do everything possible to foil any attempt at overthrowing it shows that it now has the strength to repulse any challenge to its authority. The Army is believed to number about 130,000, but the bulk of its strength of seven divisions is concentrated in the north-east, near the Jugoslav frontier There has been some, though not much, Communist infiltration, and the morale of some units is reported to be indifferent. A stronger weapon against internal aggression is the Carabinieri or national military police. This body of 65,000 men is well trained, well equipped, proud of its traditions and discipline, and firmly loyal. There has been little or no Communist infiltration because of its non-politi-cal leadership. In addition to the Army and Carabinieri, the Government can call upon municipal and local police numbering 70,000 to 90.000. The Communist strength is j organised in a well-trained and I well-equipped underground army, but this is not believed to be very large. The chief strength of the Communists has been their control of tlfe trade unions; but it has been reduced by their loaders’ decision to call off the genera! strike. Mr de Gasperi’s vigorous leadership in the present crisis and the Government’s stern refusal- to compromise with the Communists give promise that the wave of violence will be controlled, and Italy will continue t • have an administration in ac:moment with its western on '.ho vay in which Europeans-are to live.