ITALY'S REPLY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 169, 19 July 1943, Page 3

ITALY'S REPLY

To Joint Appeal By Churchill And Roosevelt "BATTLEFIELD IN ANY CASE" LONDON, July 18. The first Axis reply to the joint appeal to Italy by Mr. Churchill and President Roosevelt was given by the Rome radio in an overseas broadcast. "It is futile for the British and Americans to search lor Darlans in Italy; they do not exist," said the radio. It added: — "Italians have been asked to betray their cause and place themselves at the disposal of the invaders. Even if Italy surrendered it would not mean that she would again find peace. Italians would still be in the war and would be asked by the invaders to turn their weapons against Germany. "Italy would have to give up her agricultural, industrial, financial and military resources to the invaders. Thus Italy would still continue to suffer the horrors of war. We would suffer even more; The hard trials we have already suffered would be in vain. . _ "This would be the first inevitable profit that Italy would realise if she surrendered unconditionally. These are the only advantages we would receive from those who invite us to lay down our arms. Common sense tells us that Italy would become a battlefield in any case. "If the British and Americans say that their goal is Berlin, then their way to it is Italy. Italians know full well that for them the war is one of life or death." „ . , Reuters correspondent in Zurich says the Giornale d'ltalia, in an appeal to Germany, recalls Mussolini's promise to Hitler, that, when one has a comrade, one must march with him to the end of the road The . paper adds: "If ever this word held good it is in this decisive, moment." The joint appeal to Italy eonckKled:— "The time has now come for the Italian people to consider their own self-respect and interest aiid desires for a resf.oiation of national dignity, security and peace. The time has come for you to decide whether Italians shall die for Mussolini and Hitler or live for civilisation.