ITALY: Workers of the World, Give

Agricultural Castelfranco (pop. 20,000) is one of the Reddest districts in the Reddest province (Modena) of all Italy. It unfailingly elects Communists to the major offices and contributes to the region's big Red plurality in national elections. But in Castelfranco recently, some 66 of the community's 1,500 registered party members turned in their party cards. Last week one of the defectors explained why.

"To be a Communist has become too much of a luxury," said ex-Comrade Angelo Bardi. "It isn't only the party dues [200 lire a month], it's all the contributing...

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