FIFTH COLUMN ROLE FOR WEST EUROPEAN PARTIES

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26123, 27 May 1950, Page 6

FIFTH COLUMN ROLE FOR WEST EUROPEAN PARTIES

THE COMMUNIST LINE

[By JOSEPH ALSOP in the ‘‘New York Herald Tribune”] (Reprinted by Arrangement)

Rome, May s.—One of the most con- , spicuous effects* of the maturing world ( situation has b*een to remove the fig ' leaves from the Western European Communist parties. In Italy and France particularly, the Communists have abandoned the faintest pretence of constituting normal political parties with normal political aims. Instead, the sole current objective of the French and Italian Communists is to disrupt the organisation of any de- i fence of the West. The sole long-range | objective is to prepare to play the role i of para-military’ fifth columns when the word of command is given. In short, the Western European Communist parties have now become naked military-strategic instruments of Soviet imperialism, hardly to be distinguished from special units of the Red Army. This process is more understandable here in Italy, for the simple reason that the Italian Communist leaders still occasionally reveal their directives from Moscow to their unhappy captives, the Socialists of the Nenni group. The Nenni Socialists, in turn, occasionally confide in their former comrades of the Socialist fractions which have declared their independence. Soviet Strategy The change in the Communist line is deeply significant for two reasons. First, it clearly reveals the intention of the Kremlin to renew the attempt i to bring Western Europe within the Soviet empire at a fairly early date. Second, the preparations that the Italian and French Communists are now making can have decisive effects, if and when the time ever comes for the big Soviet pressure drive westward. The time that must be prevented from coming is a time when the military weakness of the West will allow the Kremlin to make great, intimidating demonstrations of strength at Berlin, at Vienna and against Jugoslavia. The French and Italian Communists are now getting ready. ?n short, to strike when their countries will be terrified, confused and divided by the menace of the Red Army and the Red Air Force to the eastward. Here in Italy, the Communist party has been losing mass membership. But it has been strengthening and hardening its apparatus by the purges of lukewarm elements. It has also been strengthening and hardening its para-military units, which are esti-

mated to include above 100.000 men. Finally, it has been intensifying its control of the transport and communications unions, which here, as m France, are the party’s basic assets. Early this winter, a planned incident at Modena was the pretext for an Italian trial run of fifth-column tactics. Without bringing the para-mili-tary units into play, the Communist high command succeeded in cutting Italy in two by paralysing Italian transport. So serious were the effects of the Modena incident that the Ministry of the Interior and the carabinieri now have truck units which are to replace the railroads during future emergencies. Imagine a situation in which all of Western Europe has been softened up bv great Hitler-like shows of Soviet power, accompanied by menaces of the “people’s democratic atomic bomb." Imagine further an all-out attack by the Italian Communists on the pattern of the Modena incident, but including full use of the Communist para-mili-tary power. The maintenance of the Italian will to resist, in these circumstances. would be a major miracle. There is Still Time Left On the other hand, if these circumstances are not permitted to arise—if successful Soviet menaces are prevenled by the organisation of a solid Western defence in the time still allowed us—the Communists are nothing ■ but a police problem. Furthermore, the very fact that the last fig leaves have been allowed to drop will then doom the Communist parties in both Italy and France. In brief, the naked use of the Communist parties as instruments of Kremlin imperialism has already chilled the rank and file and even disquieted the leaders. It is band-waggon sentiment —it is the belief that ihe Kremlin reI presents the wave of the future —which ! now really holds the Communist parties together. Once this cement | begins to crumble, the parties themselves will crumble also. I The many Communists who are Italians first, or peasants first, or trade unionists first—like Di Vittorio, the trade union leader, to mention the most important—will begin to have new ideas. As the Communist apparatus weakens and splits, an opening will be afforded for the emergence of new, vigorous and independent Left-Wing parties. And thus a new atmosohere of security will permit the restoration I of what France and Italy most need, 1 normal, healthy political life.