THE BULLY BRAGS

Evening Star, Issue 23818, 24 February 1941, Page 7

THE BULLY BRAGS

MUSSOLINI ADDRESSES FASCISTS BRITISH GLOW DERIDED ALL WILL BE RETAKEN Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright ROME, February 23. (Received February 2-1, at 12.15 p.rn.) Mussolini, addressing the Fascist Rally, said that Italy would fight to the last drop of blood against England, He admitted that onetenth of the Italian army had been destroyed and also one-fifth of the air force. “ I come to look you firmly in the eye and to break my silence, saying that we will fight to the last. We would have entered the war in September, 1939, if prepared. But after fighting Ethiopia we received an appeal from Spain which we could not deny. We would have preferred war to be delayed to build up material, but history takes one by the throat and forces a dedecision. It is our fate that we had the most difficult fronts on all seas and in the African desert. The British attack in Africa preceded the one we had planned for five or ten days later, and the British have thus reached Benghazi. The- British claim to have lost only 2,000 in Libya is a lie. They must have lost 20,000. “ These months exasperate our will and must intensify that hate for the enemy which is indispensable to victory. We shall probably have to fight a long time, but the Axis will win. Britain cannot.

“ Italy and Germany will march shoulder to shoulder in the end. Italy has an army of 2,000,000, and, if necessary, 4,000,000. American aid for Britain cannot compensate for all the losses inflicted by the Luftwaffe. “ Britain will soon be aware of Italian-German co-operation in the Mediterranean. New successes will come to us at all the four cardinal points, and the African territory will be retaken without difficulty when we want it. There are days of fierce fighting ahead on all the battle fronts.

“ Talk of separate peace is idiotic. The war will end when Britain is defeated, unless the dominions wish to continue at the risk of losing their independence. Neither Italy nor Germany intends to attack the United States.” “ It is ridiculous to expect a further weakening of Italy. This will never occur. The real Italian fighters and workers must not be misled by a few anti-social persons complaining about rations, “ The United States has formidable industries, but her aid must reach England and must also surpass Germany’s production. This is impossible.

■“ The British armies must invade the Continent in order to conquer the Axis. No Briton would ever dream of such a step.” Mussolini went to great lengths to prove that careful preparations were made for the war in Libya, “ which was always considered most important strategically.” He said that over 14,000 officers and 356,000 men were sent to Libya equipped with 1,900 guns of all calibres and the most recent types: 15,300 machine guns, 11,000,000 artillery shells and a billion rounds of ammunition for automatic weapons; with 24,000 tons of clothing and 759 armoured cars. SIGNIFICANT POINTS RELIANCE ON GERMAN ASSISTANCE (British Official Wireless.) (RUGBY. February 23. (Received February 24, at 1.30 p.m.) While there is no official comment on Mussolini's Rome speech to-day, the following points are regarded worthy of notice: —Firstly, the statement that Italy has in reality been at war since 1922, ” when the flame of our revohilution first blew,” is clearly designed as a counter to the criticism that antiFascist elements needlessly led the country into war in June, 1940. Secondly. no prospect was held out that Italy’s position will improve from her own effort. Thirdly, hope seems to be pinned on “ the good things of spring,” and on Gorman assistance, the strength and irresistibility of which is said to be illustrated by the fact that even Scandinavia is in the German sphere of influence. Fourthly, admissions are made that in Fast Africa Italy fights without hope of reinforcement. Fifthly, the huge industrial potential of the United States is also admitted. Sixthly, the statement that Italian prisoners in the Greek theatre of war numbered only a few thousand is not borne out by the latest Greek estimates of between 15,000 and 17,000. Mussolini's statement, “it was necessary to attack Greece and all the array leaders agreed,” seems to indicate the degree of disquiet the Greek disasters have caused Italy. The Greek war was not .justified ,it would seem, except as an unfortunate military necessity. CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ENGLISH WOMAN SENTENCED BOMBAY, February 23. (Received February 24, at 11.30 a.in.)

Mrs I'Voda Bcdi, tliu first English woman to participate in Mr Gandhi's disobedience movement, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. She was educated at Oxford and was recently a professor at the Lahore Women's College. She married an Indian who was also educated at Oxford.