Satan & the Socialists

"I thank Satan," exclaimed the Socialist delegate, "that I have lived to see the day when the great popular masses united. I beg Satan to give me six months more, so that I shall see the Front in operation."

The author of this sardonic invocation was bent, shriveled old Comrade Corradetti, a devout diabolist from Benevento; he was addressing the 26th National Congress of the Italian Socialist Party in Rome's new Cinema Astoria. The "Front" of which he spoke was the new popular front into which the Communists had just invited their Socialist comrades in order to fight the Marshall Plan (TIME, Jan. 19).

For over a year, Italian Socialists (except a small, staunch group under Saragat which seceded in January 1947) have slavishly cooperated with the Communists. Now, with its head in the lion's mouth, the Socialist Party would have to decide whether to crawl right down the lion's throat: if it entered the front, its candidates would appear on joint Communist-Socialist ballots in the Italian national elections next April.

Proletarian Breath. At the Congress' opening session, Guest Speaker Palmiro Togliatti, dapper Communist boss, suavely declared: "Comrades, we feel profoundly united to you." Silver-haired Sicilian Giuseppe Casadei chimed in: "When peasants go to occupy feudal lands, should they go in separate groups, one Communist, one Socialist? When we face Fascist rifle fire, shall the Communists be in one square and the Socialists in another?" Sweepingly he pointed to a placard: "We want the powerful Socialist Party to be the vanguard of the united Popular Democratic Front." Cried he: "There, comrades, is the way to end proletarian enslavement."

Next day, bespectacled, precise Ivan Matteo Lombardo bravely tried to remind his fellow Socialists that the lion, no matter how softly he purrs, is a carnivorous animal. "We must look to the Marshall Plan," he began quietly, "from an Italian point of view, not from that of the Cominform." His next words were drowned by cries of, "You are the Voice of-America!"

Lombardo persisted. "The Marshall Plan is an encouragement of production. . . ." The lion-dominated crowd chanted its dissent : "Your speech is written with Dunn's fountain pen."* Cried one delegate: "Traitor! The Marshall Plan is an American attempt to capture markets and throw European workers into unemployment."

Both hands uplifted, Lombardo countered: "No, my friend'. . . America in 1947 exported only 8% of her production. Only a third of her exports came to

Europe. Does that seem an attempt to monopolize the European market? Is not America encouraging British coal production by Socialist workers, rather than shipping her own coal?"

"Comrade Lombardo," yelled another delegate, "figures have killed your common sense. . . . Open your mind to the vivifying breath from the proletariat."

Kick Over Every Pot. Lombardo ran a handkerchief-covered finger inside his sweaty collar. With a mocking smile, Party Leader Pietro Nenni handed him a glass of water. "You say that the Marshall Plan ruins our chances of trading with Russia," Lombardo continued. "Do you know what percentage of our imports came from Russia? 1%." A deafening roar swept up from the audience. In a last effort, Lombardo shouted: "To sabotage the Marshall Plan is to kick over every pot in every Italian kitchen."

The delegates voted. Less than 1% agreed with Lombardo. The union with the new popular front was consummated. Italy's Socialists had crawled down the lion's throat. The combined Socialist-Communist Parties had at least a fair chance of winning in the April elections.

Diabolist Corradetti, his red-rimmed eyes blinking in the glare of the stage lights, beamed. His faith in the Devil had been rewarded.

* Referring to James C. Dunn, U.S. Ambassador to Italy. Said Dunn later: "Infamous and pre-pesterous slander. . . ."

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