BOMBING POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 149, 25 June 1943, Page 6

BOMBING POLICY

THREAT TO ROME

DECLARATION APPROVED (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) Rec. 2.10 p.m LONDON, June 24. "Rome will be bombed unless it is declared an open city. We welcome this declaration of R.A.F. policy," says the "Evening Standard." "All we ask now is that threat having been made, it will be carried out effectively and in good time. "Rome is the nerve centre of the Fascist regime and a bastion of Fascist morale. It boasts great industrial plants and a network of communications which are vital to the Italian war effort. From Rome Mussolini directed Italian .airmen to join the Luftwaffe in raining death on London. The time to reveal our power is now. We seek no reprisal for the destruction here of 600 churches, and we seek no revenge against the vandalism which blasted the irreplaceable treasures of some of our loveliest cathedrals and many of our oldest churches c to dust, but too long have we allowed the tender regard for the historic monuments of a cradle of civilisation to dictate our policy in prosecuting the war against the Fascist homeland. We have the opportunity to force from Mussolini the final word on the fate of Rome—the word which will symbolise its capitulation." CHURCHMAN'S VIEW OF RAIDS. The Archbishop of York, Dr. Garbett, revealing in a York Diocesan leaflet that he is receiving letters protesting against the Allied bombing of Axis towns, wrote in reply: "The real justification for continuing the bombing is that it will shorten the war and may save thousands of lives. Those»^io demand the cessation of all bombing are advocating a policy which will condemn many more of our soldiers to death and postpone the hour of liberation which alone will save from massacre and torture those who are now in the power of the Nazis. We must continue to use our superiority in the air, however much we deplore the sufferings of civilians and the destruction of homes and beautiful buildings."