In the scramble caused by another Premier's fall, the Christian Democrats groped for a new candidate to govern Italy. The key man in the operation turned out to be a practiced and familiar politico: Alcide de Gasperi.
Many thought 72-year-old De Gasperi, premier for eight years, had chosen the road to retirement after his fall last summer. He seemed content, after a period of rest, to run the Christian Democrats from the secretary general's office and let others sit in the Premier's palazzo. But, as Italian politicians became increasingly aware, De Gasperi had no intention whatever of fading away. Colleagues were...
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