A Trench to Defend

"It will be short but not sweet, Scelba!" cried the Fascist daily newspaper 77 Secolo d'Italia. The Communist 77 Paese echoed:

". . . Let Scelba keep in mind the fact that the more one stretches the rope, the easier it breaks." Thus did the extremists declare war last week on Italy's new Premier Mario Scelba.

Only a thin margin (16 votes in the Chamber of Deputies, 13 in the Senate) separated the new Premier from the fate predicted for him by his enemies--and most of his friends. Last week energetic Mario Scelba set out to prove them wrong. Before putting his Cabinet and his program to a vote of confidence, Scelba first anointed wounds in his own Christian Democratic Party. The violence of outside opposition to him seemed to strengthen support inside the party. He courteously consulted ruffled deputies. He dashed off an earnest public message to Party Leader Alcide de Gasperi: "On my taking office . . . my first affectionate, devout and admiring thought goes to you." He made a personal trip out the New Appian Way to a convent where resides frail Don Luigi Sturzo, the aged priest who founded the Christian Democrat Party, was once Scelba's mentor (see box). Though Scelba was unable to persuade the last two Premiers (Amintore Fanfani and Giuseppe Pella) to serve in his cabinet, Attilio Piccioni, a right-winger, agreed to stay on as Foreign Minister. Scelba decided to be his own Interior Minister, a job he had for six years.

Paying Saragat. Then Scelba turned to the job of measuring out the high price the 264 Christian Democrats had to pay to win the few (38) but crucial Parliament votes of three splinter parties of the democratic center. Most essential to Scelba's success, and therefore the hardest bargainer, was Giuseppe Saragat, the wavery leader of the Social Democrats. When Pietro Nenni sold out Italian Socialism to the Communists in 1947, Saragat founded a rump party of anti-Communist Socialists. Though his party's strength was cut in half at last summer's elections, Saragat was now in the position of being able to make or break Premiers. For his 19 votes in the Chamber, Saragat demanded and got of Scelba four ministries --the strategic ministries of Finance, Public Works, Labor and Social Welfare--and for himself the vice-premiership (which he also held for two years under De Gasperi).

Embarrassing Nenni. His Cabinet at last put together, Scelba turned to a program. First on his list: prompt ratification of the EDC treaty. A Trieste settlement was no longer a precondition to EDC approval, as it had been to Pella. The Monarchists, who are outside the government and much opposed to it, announced that they, too, would vote for EDC. Barring a long filibuster, this should assure its passage. Scelba also lined up a heavy public-works program and, with Saragat, mapped a campaign to lay down a steady succession of social-welfare projects that even Pietro Nenni would be embarrassed to oppose.

"It has been said that this newly formed government represents the last trench of democracy," said Milan's // Corriere della Sera. "This may be an exaggeration and much too pessimistic. But nevertheless it is true that this government represents a trench well worth defending."

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