The Bay of Plenty Times MONDAY, JANUARY 20th, 1941 HOW LONG CAN ITALY HOLD OUT?

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13243, 20 January 1941, Page 2

The Bay of Plenty Times MONDAY, JANUARY 20th, 1941 HOW LONG CAN ITALY HOLD OUT?

It seems futile of the Italians to continue hostilities, for they are meeting with a succession of defeats in Albania and Libya. On sea, on land, in the air, the Italians are being hammered by the British and the Greeks, and how much longer they are capable of standing up to this punishment remains to be seen. Tobruk, which the British are now circling, must soon fall, and when that happens there will be a further shock to. the Italian civil population. The successive defeats have shattered the morale of the armed forces of Italy, most of the men being now anxious to become prisoners of war. The Italians have not the slightest hope of winning even a single engagement let alone the war, and what Mussolini can see in continuing the campaign is hard to discern. lie must realise and no doubt does realize, that his days are numbered. Ilis downfall as a dictator is inevitable, and with it must come the liberation of the Italian people. Conditions in East Africa are now becoming serious. The Italian forces in that part of the war zone are hemmed in, and can get no help from anywhere. Moreover, the Abyssinian patriots, loyal to their emperor Haile Selassie, are in open rebellion, and the latest news of the training being carried out by British officers and N.C.O. ’s in a daring mission to the jungles of that country is further proof of the slender hold of Italian soldiers. The position has be-come so serious that the women and children must be evacuated, and Britain is prepared to facilitate this. It seems that Germany is endeavouring to help her Axis partner, but that help is insufficient. So far it seems to consist of aircraft, many of which have been destroyed in the Mediterranean, together with an Italian destroyer. Italy, it seems, must throw in the sponge, but Mussolini will do his utmost to delay that fateful hour. And who can blame him? To drop with a thud from Dictator to criminal would be a great fall. Mussolini is a criminal, and he must pay for his crimes against the people of Italy. He cannot escape. It is perhaps of little moment to speculate on the terms of the Armistice .that Britain would Impose on Italy, but there are some conditions which seem obvious. The Fascist regime must come to an end, and the Black Shirts banned. Albania and Abyssinia must be restored to their respective peoples and King Zog, and Emperor Haile Selassie, again be seated on their respective thrones. The people of Italy must again have the blessings of representative Government, with King Emmanuel as a constitutional monarch. These would be just and reasonable terms, and we are sure that liberated, Italy would be assisted by both the British and the Americans. Italy’s economic conditions are in a very dreadful state, and assistance will be imperative in the interests of Italy as well as of the world, for the world needs the trade of Italy. Abyssinia, after the war, would be developed with British capital and British enterprise. Haile Selassie has spent some time in Britain in exile, and he is still under British protection at Khartoum. He must know now who are the real friends of his country, and he must have had a good insight into British business methods, and the fairness of democratic rule. The development of Abyssinia would be an asset to the world, for Abyssinia is rich in many ways. The trade of Abyssinia under British guidance and help should be helpful to the people of Abyssinia, and tend to improve their standard of living. Albania, too, will be a better country for having experienced the horrors of dictatorship. There is plenty of scope for economic development in Albania, and in the other Balkan states. Britain can now reckon upon Greece and Turkey as firm friends. *