Evening star., 1948-04-21
Italian Red Labor Chief Reverses
Stand on Marshall Plan, Demands
Acceptance ofAid Despite Soviet
Communist-RuIed
Front Is Facing
Threat Of Split
BY me ksseeioted Press

ROME, April 2.-Italy's Com
munists, overwhelmed in the
election, received a hint from
their top labor leader today of
an about-face on the Marshall
Plan.
The Communists opposed Mar
shall Plan aid throughout the cam
paign. /
Smarting from their worst defeat
In free voting, the Communists also
faced the possibility of serious rift
with some of their left wing Social
ist allies.
With nearly complete returns ap-
parently assuring the American
backed Christian Democrats OF con-
troll of both houses OF Parliament, !
Giuseppe di Vittorio of the Commu-
nist-dominated General Confedera-
ton Of Labor indicated 1t wants to
take stand on American aid lnde-
pendent of Moscow.
Giuseppe Romita, left wing So
cialist and former interior minister,
joined with five other members OF
his party in an invitation to mem
bers to take steps to regain the
independence" of the Socialist Par
ty. The left wingers under Pletro
Nenni had split with the independ-
ent Socialists over the Communist
fusion issue and allied themselves
with the Communists in the Popu-
lar Front.
Freedom From Russia Aim.
Di Vittorio, Communist leader OF
the Confederation of Labor, an
nounced he intends to ask the eX-
ecutive of the World Federation
of Trades Unions to let each country
decide its position on the Marshall
Plan independently of Russia. IhlS,
he said, would let labor in each
nation decide on the basis OF the
country's needs. I
The move was believed calculated
to avert split in the 6,OOOO0O mem
Der confederation over American
aid. 1t also indicated the powerful
role American aid must have played
in the elections. The Cominform,
the Communist International ln1or-
nation Bureau, has ordered Com
munists in Europe to battle the
Marshall Plan without quarter.
when some one wants to help
you," Di Vittorio said, "it Is ride
ulous to slap him in the face.
A Russian delegation is scheduled
to arrive here Sunday for meetings
of the WFTU executive bureau and
council, which begin April 80.
Some Still Oppose Plan.
Di Vittorio's announcement came
after a Popular Front spokesman
declared that "our opposition to the
(MarshalD plan is unchanged:
Jacinto Cardona. information dl-
rector of the front, detected over
the election result. said his party
considers the Marshall Plan mis-
take, and will do everything pos
sible to help prevent Italy from
making political, economic ana stra-
tegic obligations in return Tor Mar
shall Plan aid"
Cardona placed a large part OF
the blame for the Communist deleat
on the women of Italy, who voted
IN large numbers. He also blamed
the intervention of the Catholic
church and conceded that American
aid was an important factor.
Romitas proposal to left-Wing So
cialists was contained in a letter to
party members, handed to news
papers.
Wrote Letter Monday.
Romita said he wrote the letter
Monday, before returns began TO
come in. He said five other Social
ist leaders signed the letter with
him.
Di Vittorio limited that If the
Russians refused his request 1t
might lead to breakup OF the
Soviet dominated WITH.
Giolio Pastore, Christian Demo-
crat who is secretary of the con-
federation, said it is evident that
eff the majority of the CG1L con-
tinues in it's stand against the
Marshall PlanD the minority will
have to revise its position, since we
do not want to share the grave re-
sponsibilities that the Communist
Socialist majority has assumed in
opposing the plan"
Mr.. Pastore has defled the Com I
munist- Socialist leadership OF thet
(See ITALY, Page A-6)