ITALY’S VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS

Grey River Argus, 19 April 1948, Page 5

ITALY’S VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS

Precautions Against Disorders

(Rec. 10,5) ROME, April 18 The electoral list for the Italian general elections, which are starting to-day gives the total vote of 13,898,667 men, and 15,199,418 women. The Minister of Interior, Signor Schelba, broadcast a warning this (Sunday) morning that those who do not cast their votes might have their passports withheld for five years. A total of 330,004 Carabinieri, troops, and police were mobilised to ensure order.. Many are stationed at recent trouble spots and large flying squads are at police headquarters in all districts. Air transports aie standing by at aerodromes to rush forces anywhere in the country where riots might develop. Voting to-day is between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. G.M.T. and between 5 a.m. and noon G.M.T. Public meetings to-day are not allowed. The first Senate result is expected to be announced late on Monday night and the first Lower House result on Tuesday afternoon. It is hoped that the definite results will be known on Wednesday. At Milan spectacular rises in share-prices reflected confidence in an anti-Com-munist election victory. The Italian Patriotic Association in Trieste is sending a message which 785,000 people have signed to Italy, asking the electors to “remember Trieste and have hope in the Italy of the future. There are press forecasts that the electors will return the Christian Democrats to power in the general election on Sunday, and that the country will stay within the Western European sphere of influence. “It is unlikely that the Iron Curtain will clang down this time,” states the “News Chronicle’s correspondent. There is every sign that the Christian Democrats will win by a comfortable margin states the correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph." Each of the anti-Communist parties has a positive policy. Each has at least a handful of enthusiasts. But it is not upon enthusiasm for a positive policy that they now rely for support. Their slogan: “Vote for us and escape Communism.”

‘The Left has a policy, simple and clear. “Land for peasants, higher pay and factory control for workers.” Though many are shrewd enough to doubt that Communism really means these things, they are powerful slogans to a poor country. The police defended themselves by firing into the air and using tear-gas when a mob of 10.000 attacked their barracks at Gavezze, near Modena, after they had arrested people for hiding arms. One hundred police reinforcements found tree-trunks piled with stones blocking all roads to the barracks. They cleared the roads.

British Labour M/sP. Condemned for Siding with Italian left Wing

(Rec. 5.30). LONDON. April 17. The British Labour Party’s National Executive is reported to be considering the taking of disciplinary action against 37 of the Labour Members of the House of Commons, because they telegraphed their support and good wishes to Senor Nenni, the leader of the Left Wing Italian Socialists. These Left Wing Socialists are fighting the Italian elections in alliance with the Communists. Referring to thte action of the 37 Labour Ms.P., Mr Blackburn (Labour) in the House of Commons on Friday, said: They have shown themselves to be traitors to the Labour Party, and to the cause of freedom and democracy. In the Commons yesterday, the Minister of State, Mr McNeil, pointed out that the Labour Party already has officially declared itself for the Italian Democratic Socialists, who are led by Signor Saragat and Signor Lombardo.