GRAVE UNREST IN ITALY

Chronicle (Levin), 15 July 1948, Page 5

GRAVE UNREST IN ITALY

Reutetj

Trouble After Wounding Of Communist Leader

(N.Z.P.A, —

Copyright)

Received Thursday, 10.20 a.m. LONDON, July 14. A would-be assassin shot and seriously wounded the Italian Communist leader, Signor Togliatti, as he was leaving the Chamber of Deputies. Messages from Rome say the attacker was a youth who was arrested by the police.' Signor Togliatti's assailant was Michele Ballante, a Sicilian student who came to Rome three days ago. He attended the Chamber session on July 12 with a ticket furnished by a Sicilian deputy. Ballante approached the Chamber this morning and asked to see Signor Togliatti. When ref-.ised he waited in a narrow street noar the Chamber and fired a revolver as Signor Togliatti bent to enter his car. Signor Togliatti's wife, who is a senator, rushed from the turmoil of the Senate when she heard the news, and was in time to accompany her husband to hospital. Signor de Gasperi, the Speaker, Signor Bonomi, and other Parliamentary leaders followed the ambulance there. The police meanwhile arrested newspaper photographers en masse and baton charged the crowd which gathered at the scene of the shooting. Police reinforcements arrived and cleared the centre area surrounding the Chamber of Deputies. Sighor Togliatti, after receiving first aid, was taken to hospital for an operation. The chief surgeon at the hospital described his condition as serious. The Senate suspended its session after a furious demonstration. The Associated Press says the at.tack on Signor Togliatti came as the Extreme Left agreed to continue its ' Unity of Aetion" pact against Signor de Gasperi's Government. Signor Togliatti, who is Moscow trained, has been the bitterest opponent of Italian partieipation in the European recovery programme, contending it -would enslave Italians to American economy. Signor* de Gasperi, when he arrived at the Chamber after the shooting, said: "It is the worst thing that could have hapnened." Italy is aeething with excitement since the- Togliatti shooting, and strikes are paralysing most of the citids. The situation is resolving itself into a struggle for control of the streets between the Communists and Government, with the Government so far holding its own. I The Communist Party is using the assassination attempt to overthrow the Government. Parties of young Communists hooted at private car-s -wh^ch con^ tinued to move about Ronie. The Confederation of Labour announced that it was calling for a nation-wide general strike tonight, but already most business activity has ceased in Rome and all -fihops and cafes are closed. Threatening crowds milled around* the centre df Rome, some pulling up the paving stones and manholes. Police with su'bmachineguns kept them moving. There are heavy police guards outside newspaper buildings. At least 22 have been injured in demonstrations in Rome. The Communist-led General Labour Confederation claimed that strikes are virtually paralysing Italy's transport. The Italian Communist Party issued a manifesto demanding, "for internal peace," the resignation of Signor de Gasperi.