-2- #402, December 13, 5 p.m., from Vatican City.      
 
                                                            
 
 
the Duke of Aosta and others have called upon me at  
my home to explain Italian problems. These calls were entirely   
unsolicited, but were probably due to long and friendly acquaintance with   
the individuals and members of their families which they assumed gave them   
the right to speak Of their troubles go a friendly auditor. While I   
undertook no advice I indicated that patience was necessary and that   
rapidly to force a solution might not be the best procedure. They   
uniformly indicated that they received relief and benefit from reviewing   
                    their difficulties.                     
 
                                                            
 
 
The impression I got from several sources, including the Holy   
Father, is that the Crown Prince has shown an intelligent grasp of his   
duties and responsibilities in this crisis and has shown strength and good   
Judgment; that the Realm has preserved its position of control in the face   
of efforts of the Italian Consultat;ive Committee to maneuver itself into   
degrading the Crown Prince's authority and advancing their own. This, from   
the Royal point of view, is one of the outstanding accomplishments of the   
                   present readjustment.                    
 
                                                            
 
 
The Pope has indicated to me that de Gasperi is an intelligent   
man, his experience in foreign affairs limited, that he was a deputy in   
the Austrian Diet before the Tretino became a part; of Italy; that he had   
                           been a                           
 
                      refugee in the