SURRENDER TERMS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 247, 29 July 1943, Page 3

SURRENDER TERMS.

REPORTED ACT OF BADOGLIO. DELEGATION TO DISCUSS THEM. (Rec. 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, July 28. The Berne correspondent of the “Evening Standard” says it is understood that Marshal Badoglio has appointed a delegation to discuss terms of surrender. This move follows preliminary contacts with British and American representatives at- the Vatican. The personnel of the delegation is reported to be all civilians except one general. The negotiations, it is reported. are being carried out independent of Vatican circles, although an eventual Armistice Commission drawn up under the auspices of the Vatican is not excluded. Preliminary negotiations for an armistice between Italy and the Allies began at the Vatican last night, according to a message from Berne, published in the Stockholm paper “Svenska Dagbladet.” The message adds that simultaneously with these talks negotiations are proceeding in Rome between von Mackensen, the German experts, and Marshal Badoglio. “The expectation is that Marshal Badoglio will declare Rome an open city as Italy’s first step along the path to ultimate surrender,” says Reuter’s correspondent in Algiers. “Marshal Badoglio’s immediate policy appears to fie to safeguard the home front by eliminating * Fascist Party members, buttressing monarchical authority, and setting up a firm Government, by which negotiations could be undertaken. “Evidence of this is tho disappearance of Fascists from the new Government, and all vestiges of Fascist mumbo jumbo, and tho emphasis on tho Royal family in proclamations and current pronouncements. Marshal Badoglio, while keeping in the war, gives the new Government a chance to establish itself and arrange, preliminary peace moves without political and military disorders. It is stated that any eventual overtures for a settlement would he directed to General Eisenhower. “While the unchecked progress of the Allies in Sicily, the glaring loss of the Italian fighting spirit, and lastweek’s bombing of Rome were important contributing factors, it- is thought that tho realisation by the Italian Command of the impossibility of carrying out a delaying rearguard action along the Italian peninsula with an litter absence of air cover, brought about Mussolini’s downfall. This lack of air cover was illustrated by the raid on Bologna, when Flying fortresses made a sight-seeing trip without meeting one enemy fighter or the slightest anti-aircraft fire.” “Mr Churchill holds no brief for Victor Emmanuel or Badoglio, and neither does anyone else in Britain; yet whore is the sense of hounding them at this juncture:' says the “Daily Mail” in a leading article. “Some sections of our left-wing press are already hounding them, saying that under no circumstances can wo treat with the blood-stained Badoglio. “The fact; is that Emmanuel and Badoglio were the men who had sufficient authority to carry out the step which has been taken. They sacked Mussolini. They are unwilling and we do not like them ; but who else in ftalv could have effected this revolution?

“]'n a case like this we have to take what we can find and be thankful that events are favouring us.”