Evening star., 1943-12-19
Italian Liberal Group
|ChargesAMG Violates
Spirit Of Moscow Pact

Spirit Of Moscow Pact
By the Associated Press.
NAPLES, Dec. 18.-The Italian
Committee of Liberation in the most
serious controversy yet to arise be-
tween 1t and the Allied Military
Government charged today that the
AMG, in banning q scheduled Ital-
ian political congress, had violated
the Allies Moscow confere e
pledges Of free speech and free
assembly.
The committee first had protested
the ban in a letter presented to the
AMG last night charging the AMG
with having become "the tools of
neo-Fascism," but reconsidered and
presented the revised protest at
AMG headquarters at noon today.
Without notifying AMG or asking
permission, the committee had
scheduled conference in Naples on
December 20 OF all the six leading
political committees Of Southern
Italy. The AMG forbade the meet
ing. acting, it was learned, on some
higher authority, believed to be the
British and American governments.
Italian Leaders Protest.
The Italian leaders, accompanied
by Bebedetto Groce, philosopher and
elder statesman, called in q body
at AMG headquarters last night
after having held stormy two
hour meeting, asked that the ban
be rescinded and made the charge
Of "neo-Fascism."
1t. Col. Carl Kroege, Burlington,
Kans., of the AMG Immediately de-
manded an explanation of the
charge that the AMG had become
a tool of neo-Fascism, a discussion
was held. and the charge was with
drawn with apologies.
The second protest also was signed
by Crosse and. like the previous one,
requested that 1t be transmitted to
President Roosevelt, Prime Minis
ter Churchill and Premier Stain.
Before this controversy broke out,
the AMG was considering ending
all political activity in liberated
Italy as result of the explosive
situation which has arisen between
antimonarchists and the groups
supporting King Vittorio Emanuele
possibly serious enough to i'm
pede the military organization be-
hind the Allied lines tn Italy.
Cite Moscow Statement.
The revised italian protest said:
I'VE are sorry to inform you that
the meeting organized by us of some
so representatives from all parts of
liberated Italy to discuss our prob
lens has been forbidden at the last
moment by the Allied authorities.
Since it is impossible that such
a meeting held under our response
bility might have impaired the mill
tary security we are led to believe
that the Allied authorities acted un-
der misinformation.
considering it our duty not to
embarrass the Allied authorities, we
here refrain from any local noisy
discussion, but thinking that the
essential condition for an important
Italian contribution to the war is
unanimous moral respect for the
Allies, we submit to you that this
decision seems inconsistent with the
resolution Of the recent Moscow
conference which proclaimed that
freedom of speech and of public |
meeting should be restored in full
measure to the Italian people
What we have prepared, far from
being a full measure, was a most
modest beginning OF public re-edu-
cation and constituted in no way a
threat to order.
Axis propaganda may use the |
prohibition as an argument against |
the Allies.
Violence Breaks Out.
1--WE who did not wait for the
Allied landing in Sicily to assert our
faith in democracy consider it our
duty to ask you to send instructions
inviting your representatives to act
in accordance with the generous and
statesmanlike policy proclaimed by
you ALL"
Violence already has broken out
in widely separated parts Of South
ern Italy.
Appearance at the front recently
of Crown Prince Umberto, who Wis
tied Italian troops before an attack,
brought strong protests from spokes-
men of the democratic groups who
said the AMG had forbidden their
representatives to engage in political
activity in the forward areas.
AS a matter Of policy, the Amer
lean and British governments so
far have permitted the free play
of political activity in Italy.
The enforced suspension Of all
Italian political activity, If it should
be decided on, would continue in
effect until the capture Of Rome, 1t Is
understood
The heads of the AMG are reluc-
tant to take the step since complete
political freedom for italy is one
of the objectives of the war, and
the question probably will be re-
ferred to Washington and London.
Wat Onenur~nes Hnn.;..