FUTURE OF ITALY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 74, 24 September 1943, Page 7

FUTURE OF ITALY

BRITISH OFFICIAL HOPES

Rec. 11.40 a.m. RUGBY, Sept* 23. i Speaking of the future of Italy when he wound up a war debate in the House of Lords, Lord Cranborne said; iTt is the Government's hope that Mar- ' Ishal Badoglio will set up as soon as . possible a Government on the widest possible political basis, including all sections of opinion except the Fascists. t It was also the Government's hope that ultimately, when circumstances permitted, the Italian people would choose that Government which could suit them best when normal times arrived."

Speaking of the Italian fleet, Lord Cranborne said that it did not surrender; it moved to designated points under the terms of the armistice. The future of the Italian fleet was under consideration, but much depended on. the extent to which the Italian nation co-operated against the enemy. Lord Cranborne denied tjiat the Government's political preparations were behind the military preparations in Italy, and said that to have pushed ahead in Italy with a sort of halfbaked invasion before we were really ready would have been absolutely disastrous and would not have secured for us the Italian navy.

He also repudiated a suggestion that we bombed Turin and Milan after peace feelers had been put out. He described this as a most odious and , disgusting suggestion. He deprecated any suggestion that this country was not playing its full part in the war. The name of the British nation stood high today. Many great countries had fallen by the way in the last four years because they had lost their pride in their institutions, and with it their unity. "I hope we shall never do that," he concluded.—B.O.W.