Royal Split

Teams of carpenters and painters hurried through the streets of Naples last week to perform some quick alterations at more than 90 precinct offices of the city's dominant political party. Speedily the workmen painted out the words Partita Nazionale Monarchico and its star & crown emblem. In their place they painted Partita Monarchico Popolare and nailed up a new emblem, two lions rampant and a crown.

Italy's aggressive Monarchist Party, a 34 small growth which developed into Italy's fourth largest party, had split in two. The Monarchists, basically a right-wing collection financed by Italy's well-to-do, favored a return to monarchy under a constitution, yet did not seem really to think it feasible professed support of parliamentary democracy yet often voted with Communists, fellow travelers and neo-Fascists against Italy's hard-pressed Christian Democratic center. Contradictions of purpose and tactics hurried the split, but it .was specifically caused by the rivalry of two strong figures.

Word from Portugal. Gruff, heavy-spending Achille Lauro, multimillionaire owner of a huge merchant shipping fleet, staunch friend of the late Benito Mussolini and now the popular mayor of Naples, was the party's nominal head and principal bankroller (about $3,000,000 in contributions). Ex-Professor (of law) Alfredo Covelli, an expert parliamentarian and a good organizer, was secretary-general and real leader of the Monarchists.

For the past year Lauro, whose shipping business puts him in intimate contact with many government officials, has favored lending the Monarchists' 39 parliamentary votes to the Christian Democrats on crucial issues, to prevent a collapse that might open the door to the Red Socialists and Communists. Covelli preferred to hold back and gamble that the Christian Democrats would be forced to solicit Monarchist support--for a heavy political price.

The two differed also over which was the real head of the party. When the Italian Senate recently ruled that Lauro could not keep both his Senate seat and the mayor's job in Naples, Lauro angrily blamed Covelli for not helping him. Recent municipal elections have shown a shrinkage of Monarchist appeal at the polls. On top of that, Covelli, against Lauro's wishes, suddenly went back on a Monarchist promise to support EDC. At that point, the man for whom the Monarchists presumably exist--49-year-old ex-King Umberto--sent a message from exile in Portugal which in effect scolded the Covelli faction and urged that Italy align itself with "a federated Europe." Help to Scelba. Last week the two factions broke apart. Covelli summoned a meeting of the party; Lauro canceled it: Covelli rescheduled it. Thereupon Achille Lauro broke from Covelli, set up a dissident party called the Popular Monarchists. Lauro's principal followers, mostly other shipowners, went along with him ("The fleet has deserted us," cracked Covelli men), and all but one of the Monarchist branches in Naples--seat of Lauro's strength--deserted to the new party.

Nationally Lauro did less well, by week's end had captured two Senators and five Deputies.

To Prime Minister Mario Scelba, sure at best of a majority of only 16 votes in the Chamber, even a small chipping away at hostile strength was helpful. With Lauro's support, the government could count on another half dozen votes on important showdowns in the Chamber--including the one in which Italy must soon decide whether or not to join the European Army.

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