In Dispraise of Macaroni

Italy's President Giovanni Gronchi, 72, was all aglow with anticipation. In flying off to Moscow, Christian Democrat Gronchi had overridden the protests of his ministers, had so vexed the Vatican that Italy's Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani had publicly denounced "men of high responsibility in the West" for their readiness "to shake the hand that slapped Christ in the face." But to restless Giovanni Gronchi, who believes in "an opening to the left," the Moscow trip seemed a prime chance to prove his mediating talents and to make Italy something more than just a junior partner in the Western alliance.

At Moscow Airport things got off to a bumpy start. Turning to Italian Foreign Minister Giuseppe Pella, whom the Russians regard as "hopelessly" pro-Western, Nikita Khrushchev began to twit him on the Alitalia DC-6B in which the Gronchi party had arrived. Said Khrushchev: "Since you buy your airplanes abroad, you should know that ours go much faster. Why don't you buy airplanes that are faster and perhaps cheaper?" Taken aback, Pella began to argue that Russian jets actually cost more than the U.S.-made DC-6B (an obsolescent type on U.S. airlines). Khrushchev dismissed the point with a proverb: "When fish is cheap, it's always rotten."

The Timekeepers. The real trouble began when Gronchi and Pella, in fashionable Italian style, arrived 15 minutes late for a business session with Khrushchev and Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, found the Russians scowling heavily at their watches. When Gronchi suggested that the summit meeting should take up reunification of Germany through free elections, Khrushchev broke in to growl that his utmost concession on Germany would be to guarantee Berlin as a "free city" once the West withdrew its troops. Things were not helped even when Gronchi presented Khrushchev with a 16th century bust of Marcus Aurelius.

That evening, at a big Italian embassy reception, Khrushchev made it clear that he had abandoned all hope of capitalizing on Gronchi's vague visions of a more "flexible" Italian foreign policy. In a long, menacing toast, Khrushchev bluntly warned that Russia would not relax its hold over Communist East Germany ("The situation created by World War II cannot be changed without a war"); he was not interested in West German views ("We cannot accept conditions from men who were beaten at Stalingrad"), then launched into a series of unfavorable comparisons between Italy and Russia.

"Our soldiers have been in Italy as allies." he said. "Yours tried to come to our country as enemies.* That we can never forget." Cooling down, Khrushchev talked of how in 42 years Russia has become "the first country in the world of culture. We have no poor, no unemployed. In capitalism, the smartest man is the one with the most dollars. Here he is the one with the most talents. Think it over, Mr. President, and join the Communist Party."

Money & the Moon. Icily, Gronchi retorted: "I would like to present Premier Khrushchev with a good wish. Maybe one day, touched by divine grace, he will enter the Christian Democratic Party." Khrushchev (angrily): Which party gives most to the people? Our flag has reached the moon. And you? What have you done?

Gronchi answered mildly that only the rich can afford some things.

Khrushchev (contemptuously): We do not sell ideas. Ideas are not salami.

Pella (breaking in): Anyway, we do not agree with you on Berlin and Germany.

Khrushchev: Life is a great teacher. If you come to tell me that Italian macaroni is better than Russian kvass/- you don't show much eagerness to reach an agreement.

Italian newspapermen, scribbling furiously, cabled home long reports of "this mortifying episode," and Khrushchev's "crude frankness." Returning to Rome, Gronchi was roundly cheered at the airport, and praised for his demeanor by newspapers that had originally criticized his visit. It was the turn of the Italian Communist press, which had trumpeted his tour, to realize that the tour had badly misfired and angered Italian pride. Khrushchev, said Rome's conservative Il Messaggero bitterly, obviously looks upon Italy as "a country of beggars and singers."

Perhaps he does. But Khrushchev also sometimes resembles a garrulous all-night disk jockey who does not expect his every word to be remembered and held against him. When Foreign Minister Pella reproached him afterwards for his conduct, Khrushchev shrugged: "Maybe you're right. But that's how I am." Taking hold of Gronchi's hand he asked: "You weren't at all offended by what I said, were you?"

* Ten Italian divisions fought against Russia on the Eastern front in World War II.

/- A faintly ( 1/2 of 1%) alcoholic malt drink.

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