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FOR C Berlinguer Coupled with this the elections revealed the complete bankruptcy of the existing 'centre-left coalition' dominated by Christian Democrats (CD) which has ruled Italy for the past 30 years. Fanfani, the CD leader fought the elections on a strictly anti-communist 'Law and Order' campaign focussing on the rising crime rate and allegations of 'left-wing violence' ' Yet as thousands of workers demonstrated in May the real danger is the increasing violence of the Fascists. This in the context of the deepening economic crisis and the wave of revelations concerning attempted coups, and conspiracies to protect Fascists involving right wing politicians provided the basis of an increased CP vote despite the total lack of leadership provided by the Shortly after the elections the Stalinists made it quite clear that they intended to continue with the popular frontist strategy "above disagreements and above ideological differences" of the "historic compromise" affirmed at the last party Conference. According to Armando Cassutta of the PCI executive, the Stalinist policy remains to seek an "agreement between all the major popular forces" i.e, the CP, the Stalinists factions in the C.D are trying desperately to see if, by removing Fanfani from the leadership and putting on a more "left image" they cannot maintain their own bloc with the Socialists and so prevent a government involving the Stalinists emerging at the next general election.

PRESSURE

The policy of the Stalinists plays right into the hands of this manoeuvring by the bourgeois parties - they want to play exactly the same game! According to Cassutta the PCI gains in the regional elections have increased the possibility of a dialogue and pressuring the existing (capitalist) government structure towards "a more rational use of resources and the elimination of corruption"

Nothing of the sort! - the CP electoral gains show the working class now demands a socialist solution to the economic crisis and an end to Fascist violence The popular front compromise policies of Berlinguer and the Stalinist PCI will lead nowhere but to defeats. The need in Italy now is for the building of a party which takes its starting point as a programme for independent working class solution to the crisis - workers defence squads to proteci pickets and the working class community in general against the fascist violence, - factory occupation and the struggle for workers control and nationalisation against short time and redundancies.

The latest news that the Treasury are considering issuing a £1 coin to replace the devaluing paper version should surprise nobody.

As the inevitable 'spokesman that fl is only worth the same as the old ten-bob note when it was abolished in 1969.

Obviously this is hinting that today's workers, weighed down with excess cash in fat wallets, are lighting cigarettes with £1 notes, wrapping chips in them and using stacks of them to prop up colour television sets.

Coins, they think, would be better treated. We believe plans are in hand for small trolleys to be hired to workers on payday to cart off their wages in coin form, and cranes and fork-lifts are being installed in banks to handle each day's takings.

LETTERS The Editorial Board wants to encourage letters on any subject, which should be kept as brief as possible.

Please send them to:

WSL, 31, Dartmouth London NW5 1HR

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told reporters, people "don't take care of" £l notes any more, now