Pipeline to Rocca Massimo

By the time the U.S. Fifth Army had taken Rocca Massima, a village about twelve miles from the Anzio beachhead, the inhabitants were sharply divided about the future. Lean, greying Igino Cianfone, the village blacksmith, drew together the village leftists, talked 200 into paying Communist Party dues. Meanwhile, his good friend Deputy Postmaster Gustavo Coriddi enlisted village moderates in the Christian Democratic Party.

In due time Coriddi persuaded the new Christian Democratic government to put up 26 million lire to build a pipeline to Rocca Massima, whose people since the time of the Caesars had fetched water in copper vessels from three miles away in the vale of "La Femmina Morta" (the Dead Woman).

When Rocca Massima's Communists saw the construction of the pipeline begin, they wavered in their faith. Soon they began to drift away from meetings in Cianfone's smithy. Last December Cianfone sent a registered letter to Togliatti. Wrote he: "This once flourishing Communist section is dwindling to nothingness. What shall I do?" He got no answer.

Cianfone wrote again, this time to Communist Labor Leader Giuseppe Di Vittorio. No answer. Complained Cianfone: "The party hasn't helped me. They leave me to fight alone." On May Day, 1950, Cianfone was too dispirited to organize a Communist demonstration. Instead, he went off to the local wine shop, where he met his old friend Coriddi. Full of sympathy, Coriddi presented Blacksmith Cianfone with a bouquet of mauve cyclamens. Cianfone was touched. They had a drink.

Last week Blacksmith Cianfone decided he had had enough. He had spent 30,000 lire of his own hard-earned money in fruitless visits to provincial party headquarters. In his forge he quietly burned a stack of confidential party documents. Then he summoned friend Coriddi, presented him with the party effects, including a cash book that showed a balance of 27 lire (about 4-c-). Coriddi agreed to offer membership in the local Christian Democratic section to the remaining 53 Communist Party members.

Next day when Rome newshawks sought Blacksmith Cianfone, he thought they were Communist hatchetmen. Cried he: "They're going to finish me off like Trotsky!" He ran for protection to Christian Democratic headquarters.

At week's end there was double celebration in Rocca Massima: a traditional festival honoring the Madonna, and a party to mark the first gush of water from the new pipeline. Ex-Communist Cianfone brought out his trombone, took his place in the village band.

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