Italian CP offers more collaboration in parliament

A LEADING parliamentary spokesman for the Italian Communist Party has declared: It is up to all the elements in parliament to tina a positive solution to the Speaking in the debate on the Colombo government's 'degree' on economic management, Ingrao, otten regarded as one of the 'lefts' of the CP leadership, made it quite clear that the leaders of Italian Stalinism intend to use their 'good offices' to ease the employers' political crisis.

The Party would not seek 'at all costs' to secure the fall of the centre-left coalition, but rather 'to secure a shift of the political axis to the left'.

While Ingrao did not openly propose CP participation in the coalition, he said that they wished to work within parliament to find 'points of agreement among democratic and progressive forces' for the formation of a new majority. This transparent offer of class-come boration Colombo regime.

Harassed by the crisis in Calabria and Sicily, and with its own ranks divided on the question of divorce, it is desperate to secure a 'consensus' on economic measures to prevent disintegration of the coalition.

And the CP leaders are obliging Colombo to the full.

Instead of opposing his 'decree' (which combines token reforms with a stiff dose of price increases), they have tabled a whole series of proposed amendments to it, such as a reduction of 10 lire a litre (about 5d a gallon) in petrol tax.

The only vestige of opposition comes from the small left-wing Socialist Party (PSIUP) and the MPs of the 'Manifesto' group, who were expelled from the CP at the end of last year for opposing such methods of parliamentary manoeuvre.

With debate on the decree resuming next week the government is hopeful of being able to get—in the nine-man all-party parliamentaly committee which is considering, the 'decree' support difficulties of the situation'. OPPOSITION and amendments-some form of CP for their measures.

But the effects of these moves hu the CP leadership are far wider. SAVINO LAAN Under Ingrao's formula of 'carrying the demands of the ha now openty of red por working class into liamentary services to the ruling class.

CATASTROPHIC For Italian Stalinism in particular the sharpening of class relations under the impact of the economic crisis, exemplified in the military occupation of Reggio Calabria, is catastrophic' for their policies of 'a peaceful road'.

But they can meet the threat only by burying their heads deeper in the mud of reformism.

Their present proposals, far from being any expression of the strength of the working class, are a sympathetic response to the weakness and confusion of the government parties.

The CP leaders now come forward not even to reform capitalism but to rescue it.

Significantly, Ingrao's parliamentary olive branch was proffered the day after a major re-organization of the top CP posts.