ITALY: The President’s Wish

Italy’s President Giovanni Gronchi, 72, is a left-minded politician serving a seven-year term of office in the ornate, mirrored Quirinale Palace, which he considers a gilded cage. Playing host to the beauteous Grace Kelly and her husband, the Prince of Monaco, as he did fortnight ago, comes under the heading of work; Gronchi longs to play a more vital role in world politics.

Gronchi fancies himself ideally suited to mediate between East and West. He got his chance when an Italian official brought back word that Khrushchev would be glad to have Gronchi as a guest in the Kremlin. Gronchi was willing, but not all Italians cheered. The Vatican Radio gave pointed prominence to an article in La Civilta Cattolica that said that “the cold war cannot be solved by smiles and handshakes.”‘ Il Quotidiano, the news organ of Catholic Action, declared that “Gronchi’s proposed trip is a source of serious concern to all Catholics.”

Himself a Catholic and a key figure in the Christian Democratic Party, Gronchi was so annoyed by the Vatican’s attitude that he grumbled aloud that “among other matters subject to revision” was the Lateran Treaty of 1929, which regulates relations between church and state in Italy. In the end Italy’s Cabinet approved Gronchi’s mission to Moscow in January, but also unanimously agreed that any exchange of visits should be limited to “heads of state, to avoid the possibility that Khrushchev could reciprocate by coming to Italy.” Russia’s aging figurehead. President Kliment Voroshilov, might be acceptable in the Holy City, but not Khrushchev. Reason: many Italians fear the impact of Khrushchev on a land with the biggest Communist party outside the Iron Curtain.

Throughout, the Soviet government maintained a discreet silence. Remarked the press attache of the Russian embassy in Rome: “We have no comment—except that Italians talk too much.”