sm ith ▁in ▁his ▁father ' s ▁work shop . ▁ ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Social ist ▁Youth ▁Federation ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁becoming ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁anti - f asc ist ▁movement , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁was ▁serving ▁on ▁the ▁feder ation ' s ▁national ▁committee . ▁ ▁However , ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁he ▁led ▁the ▁whole ▁of ▁the ▁Gen oa ▁feder ation ▁into ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁Italy . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁Nov ella ▁under to ok ▁national ▁service ▁with ▁the ▁military , ▁but ▁he ▁continued ▁his ▁political ▁activities , ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁spent ▁time ▁in ▁military ▁prison . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁dis charg ed ▁the ▁following ▁year , ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁leading ▁supp orter ▁of ▁Gr ams ci , ▁serving ▁on ▁the ▁central ▁committee ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁Commun ist ▁Youth ▁Federation ▁( F G CI ). ▁ ▁In ▁November , ▁he ▁was ▁sent enced ▁to ▁four ▁years ▁in ▁prison ▁in ▁absent ia , ▁but ▁he ▁ev aded ▁capture ▁until ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 7 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁imprison ed , ▁being ▁released ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁and ▁ex iled ▁to ▁France , ▁where ▁he ▁became ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁F G CI . ▁ ▁He ▁under to ok ▁numerous ▁miss ions ▁for ▁the ▁group , ▁also ▁serving ▁on ▁the ▁executive ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Youth ▁International , ▁and ▁studying ▁at ▁the ▁Tol ma č ev ▁School ▁in