Evening star., 1958-07-04
d. RICHARD FRYKLuNp

Mur1b@ah CoRfsAponusht oi ans @sAA
ROME CBy Mail) .--1taly's
weak new government has been
thrown into q complicated
game Of tug-of-war that could
stretch this country's foreign
and domestic policy in several
new directions.
The government coalition
formed by the centrist Chris
tian Democrats Of new Pre-
mier Amintore Fanfani, and the
leftist Social Democrats--is IT.
self tuggine in different direc-
tions. The Social Democrats |
are trying to; pun the govern
nent into an independent for
eigfl policy and q socialist do
nestle policy. The Christian
Democrats -nnost Of them any
how-are digging In their heels.
to the extent their preoccupa-
tion with an internal dispute
over clericalisrn permits them.
Meanwhile. the pro- -Commu-
mist parties 10 the left are try
ing to drag the government
down on any issue that seems
effective. and the conservative
Republican opposition party is
seeking to pull the government
toward q free-enterprise, solid
ly pro-NATO policy.
Since the new government
will be in the minority by a
few parliamentary votes. 1t is
in q poor position to resist all
these forces. Fortunately. how
ever. some of the pressureS
seem to cancel one another. i
The government may die of
exhaustion without Italy's
moderate internal. and pro-
Western external policies
changing appreciably.
Foreign Policy Studied
American observers here, ma
turally; are most interested in
the new government foreign
policy.
During the May elections the
Social Democrats talked vaguely
of more independence for Italy
In the Western world. They
said italy should be a media
tor" within the Western al
lance and between East and
West.
Exactly what this would
imply was not specified, but
there was some concern among
strongly pro-Western circles in
Europe that a more independ-
ent. mediating Italy might
weaken the solidity of the
West.
Now that the nature of the
governing coalition of Mr.. Fam
FAM is fairly well understood,
these worries have tended to
fade. Foreign observers believe
Italy will want q more inn
portant role in NATO. but not
an independent one,
Italy wants to be in on all
the decisions and to speak
often on problems involving the
Mediterranean. It wants an end
to the Big Three monopoly on
diplomacy enjoyed occasionally
by the United States. Britain
and France.
sllspendable NATO Member
Actually italy is one Of the
nfDsb dependable members of
NATO. It is one OF the few
allies, expected to offer space
to the intermediate range bal
listic missiles which NATO
needs. While other countries
shy away from 1RRMS, saying
they will make their territories
too inviting target in the next
war. Italy stands ready to do
it's part for the West If asked.
Again, italy has extended a
better welcome to foreign troops
than almost any other NATO
country. The Communists had
so much trouble stirring up
hatred of American troops that
they finally dropped the issue
during the last election.
The Social Democrats will
certainly try to get the gov
ernment to insist on further
expansion of NATO's func-
tions. They want to push polit-
ical, economic and social CO.
operation among NATO coun-
tries--the economic role in par
: ticular under Italy's leadership
(hut of necessity with some
f. one else's money.
!. Most non-C Communist ,oppo-
! sition parties want Italy to re-
main in NATO. This will give
the government strength in the
showdowns to resist the pull OF
the pro- Communist left, which
has q third Of the parliament
tary seats.
Economic Policy ls Key
Italians themselves are most
interested in the new govern
ment's economic policy.
Since the war. the italian
government, always led by the
Christian Democrats, has taken
q bigger and bigger role in the
nations economic life. Al
though the Christian Demo-
Gratis range from virtual social.
lists to conservative free enter
prisers, the party has managed
to agree on q rather leftist
economic policy in the past.
During the May campaign
party speakers claimed the
Christian Democratic govern
ment had given Italy's pre-
dominantly leftist voters all the
benefits of socialism without
the drawbacks. And they coulo
with justice claim that gov
ernment measures had raised
italian incomes considerably.
Now, however. the Social
Democrats within the coalition
vT-0Rat khA