MUSSOLINI'S WORRY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 163, 12 July 1943, Page 3

MUSSOLINI'S WORRY

Italy's Greatest Fifth Column In Sicily GERMANS INTENSELY HATED Rec. 9.30 a.m. NEW YORK, July 11. Sicily contains Italy's greatest Fifth Column, says Herbert Matthews, New York Times correspondent in North Africa. The Sicilians have been Mussolini's greatest worry. They were the last to succumb to the Fascist movement and the first to work openly against it. They have traditions of freedom which the mainland has. forgotten. The Sicilians, who have been forced'to suffer the presence of German troops for two years, hate them virulently. They are reported to have stabbed German sentries, conducted sabotage and caused street fights and rioting. On the other hand, the Sicilians admire the Americans and do not dislike the English. Most Sicilian families have relatives living in the United States. Mr. Matthews says the Allies cannot expect the Sicilians to give them active help in the early stages of the campaign, but when the main armed resistance has been broken the Germans will be fortunate to escape with their throats uncut. Many Fascist officials also may have a hard time. This will be the first test of popular Italian reaction to the Fascist regime when not bolstered by German arms. , ~ Carla Scorza, secretory of the Fascist party, convened an urgent meeting of the Fascist directorate to-night. , . ~ The Zurich correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph reports that Mussolini has asked the King of Italy to address the nation.