108. Telegram From the Embassy in Italy to the Department of State1
3408. Following summary and partial analysis of developments on Left here should be read in conjunction with Embtel 34072 which discusses factors limiting possible lasting effects of these developments and of campaign in which Center leaders and press are engaged to exploit them.
Recent developments in Italian Communist and Socialist Parties have continued revolve around impact of decisions Soviet Party Congress and denigration of Stalin on Italian Communist Party. Most of visible manifestations of developing situation fall into three categories: (1) measures taken by Communist Party leadership to bring situation in party under better control, (2) at least temporary abandonment by Nenni of tactics which, while they promised possible gains for him and Socialist Party, threatened to contribute—or were contributing— to disorganization within Communist Party, and (3) some dissatisfaction within Socialist Party, apparently at present primarily on higher levels, with Nenni for having thus passed up opportunities open to him.
Principal among measures taken by Togliatti to stabilize situation in PCI—which threatened get badly out of control at time Terracini and others criticized Togliatti and USSR in meeting PCI parliamentarians and many members these meetings broke discipline in relating proceedings to “bourgeois” press (Embtel 3332)3 —has been convoking National Council of party (Embtel 3215),4 opening session of which (apparently originally planned for second half of month) was set up to April 3.
Calling this meeting may, as stated in Embtel 3015,5 have represented attempt postpone long overdue Party Congress in fear of convoking that body, which alone under party statutes has right make important changes in composition central committee, party organization, etc. Way meeting has been organized and in which it is being run show that it also represents attempt (1) make tightly-controlled but widely publicized demonstration of party “unity” and (2) take party’s [Page 357] mind off its (and especially Togliatti’s) troubles by giving it purportedly “new” directive regarding campaign in preparation administrative elections.
Measures taken to ensure that meeting does not turn into type of free-for-all which resulted from Togliatti’s abortive experiment with intra-party democracy at Senate group meeting included: (1) issuing advance statement March 31 of “judgment” of PCI Direzione regarding Soviet events and party’s electoral campaign, in effect setting only permissible line on these subjects, (2) “packing” meeting itself by adding about one thousand (and no doubt hand-picked) delegates to approximately two hundred party officials whose attendance more or less obligatory under party statute, and (3) setting one-point agenda dealing with administrative election campaign only. Presumably hoped that any speaker raising issue of implications recent Soviet events and diverging in his comments from Direzione statement can be pulled up short on point of order.
Opening day of meeting almost entirely taken up by three-hour Togliatti speech almost entirely devoted to administrative elections, containing nothing this regard not heard at least twice before and, as Messagiero said, “perhaps most pallid speech made by Togliatti in all his long career.”
Only new element in Togliatti’s speech came after wishing Socialists success in coming elections when he stipulated: “but at same time we say openly this success should not come with shift within ranks of Left, that is, with passage of votes from Communists to Socialists. If this happened, it would be as though nothing had happened.”
In general Togliatti brushed off events which are troubling his party as “usual attacks by bourgeois parties and press on eve any election.” He did, however, in one passage stress difference between situation in USSR and that in Italy (“still not Socialist”) and recommended comrades bear this in mind when considering “ridiculous things” being written by “bourgeois and fascist press.” One such difference, incidentally, was visible to delegates sitting in hall who faced portrait of Stalin alongside those of Lenin, Gramsci and Togliatti.
To enhance “importance” of meeting, foreign delegates, mostly culled from concurrent Venice cultural meeting, were included. To ensure widest publicity and in hopes displace so far as possible more sensational news regarding party in Center press, “bourgeois” and foreign correspondents invited to attend. Second purpose, however, at least partly frustrated by Center papers which are devoting considerable space to discussion things not said at meeting and delegates’ apparent lack of enthusiasm in proceedings. During introductory remarks by other speakers on first day, Togliatti carried on ostentatiously “friendly” conversation with Terracini.
[Page 358]While Togliatti has thus been trying weld lid back on PCI (and lid-welding itself may contribute to future dissatisfaction as it did at time Togliatti’s high-handed tactics at 1955 National Party conference) Nenni has swung into line with PCI, an action which has raised some objections (witness March 27 PSI chamber group meeting—Embtel 3332) within Socialist Party to his leadership. Nenni had apparently told this group Socialist Party should not profit from difficulties of PCI, thing which he had been doing until short time before (Embdes 1540)6 whether or not as by-product his attempt to score gains at Center’s expense. Secondary Socialist officials probably also annoyed (1) he “cleared” draft his “lights and shadows of Moscow Congress” article with Commie leaders—he had reportedly not shown it in draft to other Socialists (Embtel 3286),7 (2) fact that in this article he paid tribute to Togliatti and generally did his best to make over line he had adopted in Feb 26 Avanti article and L’Espresso interview to accord with explanations of Soviet Party Congress that PCI giving its followers, and above all (3) that in so doing he was missing golden opportunity further play on hopes of credulous that he might break with Commies, factor that has represented one of PSI’s greatest political assets.
Nenni’s current difficulties further complicated by fact that on March 31 Social Democratic Party published statement of its Direzione challenging him to break with Commies and subscribe to principles Socialist International. This forced him (in unsigned Avanti editorial April 3) into refusal, reaffirmation PSI’s unity of action with Commies and into partial attack on PSDI (which according general Moscow policy he is supposed to be wooing). Along with his obligation come to Togliatti’s aid even at expense own political possibilities, Nenni, in taking relatively clear negative line re possible break with Commies, fusion with PSDI and joining of Socialist International, may have wanted insofar as possible to block possible debate on these subjects in PSI Central Committee meeting scheduled for April 9 and 10.
Nenni in his articles and actions has, of course, done best to cover his tracks and leave door open to himself for resumption previous line when PCI situation permits. Happily Center press is doing its skillful best to make his coming to Togliatti’s aid as costly to him as possible.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 765.00/4–556. Confidential. Repeated to Paris, Moscow, London, Belgrade, and Bonn.↩
- Supra.↩
- In telegram 3332 from Rome, March 29, the Embassy reported that Italian reaction to the Moscow 20th Party Congress was characterized by reports of strong dissension between PSI and PCI politicans. (Department of State, Central Files, 965.61/3–2956)↩
- Not printed. (Ibid., 765.00/3–2056)↩
- Not found in Department of State files.↩
- Despatch 1540 from Rome, March 6, transmitted a copy of Nenni’s recent interview published in L’Espresso. (Department of State, Central Files, 765.00/3–656)↩
- Telegram 3286 from Rome, March 26, reported on an Avanti article by Nenni. (Ibid., 765.00/3–2656)↩