TASKS FOR BADOGLIO.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 246, 28 July 1943, Page 3

TASKS FOR BADOGLIO.

NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACE. RELATIONS WITH GERMANY. LONDON, July 27. “Marshal Badoglio’s principal task will bo to present a solid national front under cover of which to negotiate an honourable capitulation, rather' than unconditional surrender, the difference in terms allowing Italy to save face,” says flic “Now York Times ’ correspondent in Borne. “Italian diplomatic circles have semiofficially denied that such negotiations are already under Avay. Marshal Badoglio’s next task will bo to present them to the Reich, which still has strong forces on flic peninsula, under the guise of gmng tho Germans more time for preliminary evacuation. This point, it is believed, forced Marshal Badoglio to make bis one reference to tho Avar in bis proclamation—‘the Avar Avill continue.’ (Marshal Badoglio will

later have the problem of orderly, peaceful reconstruction, AAithout ievolution. His task is considered monumental. Diplomatic circles have reserved judgment on the probable duration of his tenure of office.”

The Turin newspaper “Stampa,” has published a front-page proclamation signed by five new Italian parties expressing hostility to the Badoglio Government. The parties arc National, Christian Democracy. Communist, Liberal. Reconstruction and Italian Socialist. The proclamation, which calls for severe punishment- lor Mussolini and other Fascist officials, states that the Badoglio Government is not wanted by the Italians. It adds: “The painful i nightmare Avhich lias weighted down our political life for 29 years is over. Bestial passion has torn to hits the greater part of our national Avcalth and dragegd the nation to Avar. Those responsible for the grave danger to the nation Avill be inexorably punished.”

“Italians, our Avatolvword is liberty.” says tho Milan “Corriere della Sera.” in a leading article. “Mussolini has gone. We are finally free. Nobody slept in Milan last night. We journalists worked with truth and enthusiasm. It is a difficult task to turn out a newspaper when for 20 years it has been dictated to ns in entirety by the Press Ministry.” “We in Berlin are convinced that Italy will continue in the war on Germany’s side. Italy will not stab us in the hack,” said Dr. Schmidt, the chief spokesman of the German Foreign Office, at a press conference. He added : “Wo already have King Victor’s and Marshal Badoglio's clear statements to that effect, and we see no reason to doubt that they represent Italy’s true intentions. Continuation of the war is more important than questions of ideologies. Italy’s change of regime must he viewed against a background of internal political differences. It does not concern Italy’s foreign policy. Wo remain convinced that flic Italians will continue to fight.”