ITALY’S POLITICS.

Southland Times, Issue 18829, 24 May 1920, Page 4

ITALY’S POLITICS.

The appearance of Peppin Garibaldi in the political arena in Italy will not be regarded by the Allied nations without apprehension. Signor Nitti seems to have been on the eve of a settlement of the Adriatic questions that would be satisfactory to all parties but his sudden downfall may make a big difference to the discussion over Fiumc. The Italian Premier, of couree, was not in a strong position in the Chamber of Deputies. Out of a total membership of 30S the Socialists command 150 votes ami the Catholic Party 101. so that without the good will of one or the other Signor Nitti could not remain in office. At first he offered two portfolios in tho Cabinet and three Under-Sccrctnryships to the Catholic Party, but more was required by tlie group, which presented a list of nine points on which guarantees had to be given before support would be given to the Government. Signor Nitti refused the party directorate’s terms and he turned to the old Constitutional groups in the Chamber and carried on with the unsolicited aid of the wing of the Catholic Party which would not vote with the Socialists under any circumstances. His chief difficulties at the time of these negotiations were financial but even in March last the government’s hold was generally admitted to be precarious. Peppin Garibaldi, it will be remembered, was particularly outspoken in his support of d’Annunzio when the poet first went to Fiume. The son of the old Liberator was quite frank in applauding this piece of filibustering and declared that if d’An nunzio had not gone to the “rescue" of Fiumc he would have undertaken tho duty. It is not clear, of course, that Signor Nitti’s prerent difficulties are due to the Adriatic question, but it looks as if Nitt/s foreign policy ha? alienated tho support of the powerful section of the old Constitutionalists who dream of a great Italian Empire. The Turkish peace terms were not well received by them, and (he Levantine situation has stirred the advocates of an Italyover the seas. But even if Signor Nitti’s downfall is due to purely domestic consideration, the appearance of Garibaldi can only be regarded as foreshadpwing a powerful effort to strengthen the hands of d’Annunzio. Garibaldi is one of the popular heroes of the Italian Army and he mayvery easily put an entirely new- complexion upon Italian politics.