Evening star., 1947-01-12
Italian Socialists Split.
May Mean Civil War,
|Anti-Red Leader Says
BY ihe Associated Press

ROME, Jan. 11.~Anti- Compunist
factions of the Socialist party broke
completely today with the rest of
the party, and the leader of the
boilers declared that unless the
party remained independent Of
foreign pressure 1--WE will not be
able to escape the specter of civil
war and of international war"
Giuseppe Saragat. president OF
the constituent assembly In which
the Socialists with ia deputies are
second in strength and hold the
balance of power, made this declara-
ton as delegates to the frequently
turbulent 25th National Congress Of
the party listened in shocked quiet:
"The italian Socialist party has
been submitted to cold and me-
thodical process of subjugation to
the principles of foreign forces. If
in Italy there is not to be an inde-
pendent Socialist party, we will not
be able to escape the specter of
civil war and international war;"
De Gasperi Calls Threat Ridiculous.
Qn Cleveland, Ohio, Premier
Alcide de Gasperi. who is in the
United States to seek financial
and other aid for Italy. de-
scribed as ridiculous" state
ments that the split in the
Socialists might lead to civil
war. He admitted the split
would have "a poor psychological
effect" on his mission, but as to
civil war he laughirsly asked:
who is going to fight it?")
The dissidents began Immediately
the formation of new anti
Communist Socialist party to op-
pose the pro-Communist leadership
of Pietro Nenni, Italy's Socialist
foreign minister. Mr.. Saragat said
the new party would be known as
1.-The italian Socialist party, inter-
national section of Socialist work.
ers."
How many deputies from the
Socialist parliamentary group would
follow Mr.. Saragat out of the party
was uncertain. What effect the
split would have on Mr.. de Gasperi's
four party government also re-
manned undetermiped.
Movement May Gain Strength.
On the first question an ex-
perienced parliamentarian said
that will depend entirely on how
thing go. If things go well for
the dissidents almost all of the
Socialist deputies will go with Mr..
Saragat. If his movement does not
seem to be succeeding, they viii
stay away from him."
The boilers estimated their
strength at 16 per cent of the
party Congress.
Mr.. de Gasperi's Christian Demo-
Gratis, predomiriantly Catholic, hold
nine portfolios in the government.
The Socialists and Communists
nave IOur 6dCIl ana Jlle SHldu lelC-
wing Republicans two. In the as
sembly the Christian Democrats
have 207 deputies, the Socialists ia,
and the Communists 104 out Of
total of 554 seats. The 129 re-
are from small groups.
Mr.. Saragat Withdrew from the
Congress with the words I'VE take
another road" and later he told
the Associated Press II meant a
complete break with the Nenni
Party" SO -
A chief complaint of the dis
sidents was that in the November
elections when the Social
lists and Communists formed a COM
mon ticket, the Socialists lost
ground and the Communists gained.
In his statement to the Asso-
ciated Press, Mr.. Saragat said that
his Socialist critics" group would
join with the Socialist initiativists"
who announced their break two
days ago through Matteo Matteiotti,
25-year-old son of Giacomo Mat
teiotti, Socialist martyr of the
Fascist era,