New-York tribune., 1920-04-16
III Progresso'
Changes Policy
To Republican
Italian Daily Renounces Its
Allegiance to Democratic
Party Because of stNefari-
ous'' Wilson Doctrines
Urges Change i'm Power
Presidents Dreams Called
Stimulus of Worldwide
Spirit of Revolution

"Il Progresso," a daily newspaper
printed in Italian in this city, re-
nounced its allegiance to the Demo-
cratic party in a front-page article
published Wednesday and advised all
citizens of italian blood not to cast
their ballots for the candidate Of =
party headed by Woodrow Wilson and
to elect Republican President.
The reason given for the change on
the part of "1l Progresso" is "the
nefarous policy of Wilson," which is
declared to be the direct cause Of the
woes Of Italy. The article says:
"What can and ought to be the atti-
tude Of US Italians in the next Presi-
Dental election? The answer is OBJ
vlOus.
Two Political Duties Seen
Extraordinary situations call for
dispositions and means equally ex-
traordinary. In the present electoral
situation there are two duties upon
our collective conscience; the first
is of a solemn protest against the
anti-Italian policy of the exponent of
son; the other is that of facilitating
and fastening the economic restoration
of the mother country by favoring the
friendly tendency of the party which
in this country possesses, as an al
most absolute arbiter, the vital ele-
ments of this restoration.
"The nefarious policy Of Wilson is
the direct cause of the distress in
which Italy finds itself at this moment
The principal problem of our peace
has been blocked by this man in a field
on whose horizon rises only threaten
ing clouds and there is not yet sign
of a wind which may have the strength
to scatter them. 1t follows that when
Italy extends her hand to America for
necessary aid America, which possesses
Of all the world ruined by the war
stretches out her hand pointing to the
Adriatic
His doctrinary dreams of an inter
national democracy are the stimulus
Of the revolutionary restlessness which
penalties every attempt at reconstruc-
ton. 1t is therefore necessary that
our will in the coming Presidential
election should manifest itself in the
most solemn way against the party
which this man, harmful to us, has
made the exponent of his political and
social doctrine, and which will be the
symbol of the perpetuation Of this
same doctrine.
Opposes Democratic Party
"There cannot be an Italian or
American who has not sworn to make
his protest at the polls against this
man and against his party, which
threatens US with a nightmare equal
only to that of Wilson himself. The
moment to realize our desire is near
and it is therefore necessary to organ
ize ourselves to elect a Republican
candidate.
"Following this line of conduct the
'Progresso' does not renounce it's
Democratic doctrines; it refuses only
to recognize in the party headed by
Wilson the faithful depository of those
doctrines.
"The party has degcnerated-its
waters that once reflected an Ameri-
canism of pure alloy have become
troubled with elements foreign to its
conception; we wish to turn to the
sources of these waters, but in SO
doing we renounce only the name
which we assumed with the Democratic
baptism, but not the baptism itself
The Italians of America know which
is the banner under which we wish
them to gather for the next Presi.
Dental election"