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Most restive was Vice Premier Nenni, who had hoped to be Premier himself. But liberal Philosopher Benedetto Croce had voiced a general opinion: "Nenni, you cannot be Premier. First, because you are Nenni; second, because you have no idea of administration." Justice Minister Togliatti seemed content to let Nenni do most of the political talking and balking. But Togliatti's Communist followers were busy, especially in the dynamic, revolutionary north. There, the leftist-dominated Committee of National Liberation, in advance of the Allied occupation, had tightly organized local government and most of the region's great industrial plants.
Ab AMGOT Libera Nos. But the A.M.G. was worried by the threat of leftist revolution. While it approved C.N.L. local administrations, it frowned on the taking over of factories. It threatened to cut off supplies of coal and other desperately needed raw materials if its wishes were not obeyed.
Under these restraints the leftists—and most of hungry, harassed Italy—chafed. U.S. and British policy had never seemed more out of touch with popular feeling. U.S. and British prestige had never seemed so low. Reported London's New Statesman & Nation: "Already a year ago the people were singing in the churches of southern Italy: "Et ab AMGOT libera nos, Domine—And from AMGOT deliver us, O Lord!"
Whether Italy's new Common Man Premier could cope with conditions for which uncommon talents were needed remained to be seen.