865.01/9–944: Telegram
The American Representative on the Advisory Council for Italy (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 11—12:58 p.m.]
330. “Rome September 9, 1944. Deeply grateful for your declarations. I think it necessary, with Bonomi, to submit to you secretly some urgent considerations:
[Page 1149]Communist leaders have behaved and behave loyally in our coalition but imminent liberation of their stronghold not unexpected and approaching of Soviet forces to Trieste may oblige them to ask for greater representation in Cabinet. It is true that great majority of nation is with us, but we must take no risks. Only way to ensure healthy vitality of progressive Italian democracy is to adopt rapidly following concrete manifestations: (a) Suppression of present cumbersome administrative relations under armistice and creation of normal, if not yet quite formal, relations; (b) Immediate initiation of studies for Italo-American collaboration aiming to invest in rapid hydro-electric development of the south, including Sicily and Sardinia about which I had already had contact last September in New York with Wall Street personalities; (c) Holding confidential conversations for economic help with American advantages; these conversations might take form of private visit to America of some statesman above parties with two economic experts.
Only such facts will create atmosphere on confident hope eliminating possibility of hungry crowds turning to extremist preachers. Please do not forget that a healthy, democratic, individualistic Italy will have tremendous influence on developments in France and Balkans while the contrary may bring surprises, even for victors.
Bonomi, with whose warm approval am wiring you, does not doubt loyalty of our Communist colleagues, but is afraid of movements in spite of them. Litvinov95 spoke the truth when he told me, ‘We do not want revolutions in the West, but if they happen we must approve.’
We would lack loyalty not adding that under present armistice responsibility of events rests with those who have power not with those who are powerless.”
- Maxim Maximovich Litvinov, Assistant People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs.↩