CHASTENED DICTATORS.

Evening Star, Issue 24989, 7 October 1943, Page 4

CHASTENED DICTATORS.

When it was reported after the landing in Sicily that Hitler and Mussolini had met in a North Italian town " to discuss military questions," no one doubted that the meeting must have been a painful one for II Duce. Marshal Badoglio reveals now what took place. Mussolini intended to say that Italy was past fighting, but Hitler did not allow him to 6peak. The Fuhrer stormed for two hours, at the end of which time the courage of his jackal had evaporated and he was unable to eay anything. The knowledge of how II Duce had been cowed was a prime factor in the Italian people's revolt against him. The technique used by Hitler was a familiar one. It was practised most notoriously, and ineffectively, against Dr Schuschnigg, the last Chancellor of free Austria. Schuschnigg _ was called to Berchtesgaden, kept waiting for an hour, and then called into Hitler's room, where at first he was neither addressed nor offered a chair. " Then Hitler began to speak, first in a low, trembling voice, which he gradually worked up into a hoarse scream." Self-pity, accusations, frantic boasts who ever lived"—formed the theme. When the Chancellor attempted to speak came a torrent of personal abuse—" Jesuits' spawn,'' " Planetta's murderer "--Planetta was one of the murderers of Dollfuss-—" Jews' lackey." Schuschnigg's attempt to light a cigarette provoked a roar of " I

allow no smoking in my presence." A general was called in and ordered to "take this fellow into the_ next room and show him what is waiting for him if he does not give way to my demauds." And the general gave him a vivid description of how Vienna could be bombed. After lunch, served by Hitler's guardsmen, at which the faro was meagre and only Hitler spoke, the Fuhrer pressed his demands —for two hours. The Chancellor saved his life, it was believed, by conceding a fraction of them, but nothing could save Austria.

And now Hitler can no more intimidate than Mussolini. He is unable to make his usual thanksgiving speech, I Dr Goebbcls explains, because he is at [ headauarters " making weighty decisions "—and with plentiful cause now for self-pity. He may reflect on how much influence as a quisling leader in Italy Mussolini is likely to have for him to-day, with his record. He will have small consolation if it is true that three provinces of the Tyrol—formerly Austrian—which went to Italy after the last war have now been incorporated in Germany, because that will not last long.