ITALIAN REPUBLIC NOT YET DECLARED

Chronicle (Levin), 12 June 1946, Page 5

ITALIAN REPUBLIC NOT YET DECLARED

ROME, June 10. The supreme Court, contrary to expectations, did not proclaim Italy a } rqpublic today. It cofifinCd its announcement to the final referendum ligures, which wero given as: — For a republic 12,072,707 For a monarchy .. .. 10,0SS,905 After announcing the referendum figures Supreme Court Judges said : ruiings would be given later on peti-, tions alleging voting irregularities. In addition figures from 50 voting distriets were still missing hut would be incorporated in the final totals. Tliese could not upset the result. King Umberto's aide, General Adolfo Infante, said Umherto might leave Rome to "relicve the tension" but would not leave the countrv until a detinite announcenient was made hy tlie Supreme Court. Signor de Gasperi was apparently taken ahack at the Court 's indefinite announcenient and told reporters "of course the repuhlic. has heen proclaimed," saving that if the Court felt authorised to announce figures showing a majority for the repuhlic they took that to mean tlie Court was satisfied further adjustmeuts could not materi allv modif'y the result. Signor de Gasperi added that it was for the King to chooso when he would leave tlie f-ountry. O11 personal grounds there was 110 reason why he should quit Italy at a 1 1 . It was not the Government's business to tell him to go. lle had bchaved extremely loyaliy. An Italian news agency says King Fmherto, after receiving the result of tlie rei'erenduin from Signor de Gasperi, Ihanked him, saying he would reserve his. further decision. The agency added that a Cabinet session late last night. discussed the transl'erence of Umberto's powers. Newspaper reports suggested a compromi.se. between tlie King and the Government whereby, pending the final session of the Supreme Court, de Gasperi would function as the eivil lieutenant-general iiominated hy Umherto who is believed to he asking for the strict ohservanee of the electoral law wliieh sets a lenn of TI days after an ideetion for an examination. Trade uiiions proclainu.'d today a general holiday "for celehrating the repuhlic." The monarchist Giornale Della Sera, says Umherto ins>ists 011 waiting for Ihe Supreme Court. 's final report hel'ore recognising the eessation of his reign.