In Italy's financial capital of Milan last week, a lethargic stock market suddenly rallied. Conservative Italian newspapers congratulated the nation's politicians on their good sense. Ostensible cause for the rejoicing: the appointment of 68-year-old Antonio Segni as Italy's new Premier. A more fundamental cause: the fact that after months of talk about an inevitable drift toward socialism, Italian politics had taken a sharp right turn.
When proud little Amintore Fanfani resigned as Premier three weeks ago, Italy's big Christian Democratic Party seemed hopelessly divided against itself and listing to the left. The...