REPUBLIC OF ITALY

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24896, 8 June 1946, Page 7

REPUBLIC OF ITALY

Proclamation Next Wednesday

king staying in PALACE (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) 9 p ip.) LONDON, June 6. Aing Umberto’s departure and the formal proclamation of an Italian Republic havp been postponed until next Wednesday to enable the judicial a Q tb ° ri^es to check the returns,” says the Romp correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” ‘‘The result will not be affected, but the Government wishes to observe every detail of the law. King Umberto is believed to have sold recently several pictures to provide funds for the eventuality which has now arisen.” “Police jn jeeps charged and dispersed 1000 Monarchist demonstrators near the Royal Palace, where King Umberto awaits the official announcement of the referendum results,” says the Rome correspondent of the “Daily Express.” “The Ministry of the Interior has circularised prefects, enjoining strict measures to preserve public order and prevent even the smallest disrespectful acts against the Royal Family and their private estates.” At Pisa a bomb thrown by an unidentified person killed a youth and wounded 18 persons Police and troops are patrolling streets m Naples following the explosion of a hand-grenade outside police headquarters last night, when one Monarchist was killed and eight were injured. The grenade is alleged to have been thrown by one of a group of 400 Monarchists who marched to police headquarters demanding arms. The police dispersed them. Italy’s new Chief of the State, who is to be elected at the initial meeting of the Constituent Assembly on June 24, will phoose the new Prime Minis-ter,-who will probably be Signor de Gasperi.

Tearful scenes took place at the Royal Palace as Italian notables, officers, and personal friends of King Umberto called to make their farewells. Italy’s first Prime Minister after the collapse of the Fascist regime, Marshal Badoglio, openly wept as he Ipft the King’s offices. Some notables, on leaving, carried autographed photographs of King Umberto.

While Republican newspapers are jubilant. Monarchist newspapers are trying to show that the Republican majority is small. They claim, therefore, that the minority must be taken into full consideration regarding “those ideals they defended through their support of the monarchy—order, security, peace, liberty, and a guarantee of the valued traditions of Christianity.” A spokesman confirmed that the Duke of Aosta is going to Belgium. The Moscow radio has hailed the outcome of the Italian elections as a victory for democracy and a defeat for the reactionary forces “which were well supported by the Vatican and encouraged by reactionary circles in Britain and America, whose occupation trpops are still stationed in Italy. The Republic signalises the break with the imperialist and Fascist Powers and Italy’s embarkation upon the road of broad social and political reforms.”