ROME LETTER
461
the Left, which, if it did not come to power, managed this time not to
be swindled out of all the better posts. One advantage was that the strug–
gle of the conservative elements against the Left pushed the Democratic
Christian Party into the open as a really classical type of clerical reac–
tion. Previous to the "crisis," this Party had a reputedly left wing, which
exhibited a certain amount of friendship towards the socialists and which
also made much of a cagey address by the Pope that could be interpreted
-if the victory lay that way-as being for collectivism in certain indus–
tries. (What a boy scout, this Pope! Always prepared! A week after the
German surrender, he actually had a speech ready condemning Nazism,
and
mentioning it
by
name!)
Now the battlelines are fairly sharply drawn
between the Liberal Party (which represents more or less the big bour–
geoisie) , on the one hand, and the Socialists and Communists, on the
other. The Action Party, which was called into the breach to overcome
the deadlock between these two groups, seems definitely to lean towards
the Left, at least at the present tum of events. The political situation has
developed to a point at which it seems possible to offer some prediction
as to what lies in the cards for Italy: failing a miracle, or a coup d'etat
from Downing Street, the monarchy will go; to be succeeded by a Re–
public of the Left, though this does not in the least mean socialism. The
Socialist Party would probably be as frightened as anybody else of social–
ism and does not really aspire much beyond William Beveridge (on
whom various laudatory articles appear from time to time in
Avanti!)
There seems to me, however, a real danger that in a general popular
vote the Demochristian Party may be able, through the always powerful
influence of the clergy, to manoeuvre itself into power. Such an even–
tuality would not only be a political tragedy for Italy, but would also
mean the end to every artistic and literary movement with any real
promise, since with the Demochristians a reign of clerical totalitarianism
over the whole cultural life would inevitably be ushered in.
The cultural life of the city, in its vitality and volume, has pulled
itself
:up
miraculously by its bootstraps ahead of political and social con–
ditions. As a foreigner, one was introduced into this life through the
part almost absorbed into the world of the Allies: the Opera, which
during the winter and spring season belonged to the troops because they
were the only people with money enough to afford the prices, and be–
cause they in the end dictated the quality and choice of performances.
The Opera was promoted by the Red Cross, it was something for the
soldiers to do while on leave in Rome, and many of them were in fact
seeing their first opera. The management never had a worry about filling
the house, so that only the old chestnuts were given and. usually with
the most mediocre of casts. In these last few years, Italy has produced
no new great voice, which, in a nation always so devoted to vocal music,
may be a serious index of failing vitality. Only a traditional sense for the
