ITALY AS VASSAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 January 1941, Page 7

ITALY AS VASSAL

MINISTER’S ANALYSIS POSITION IN “NEW ORDER” [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, January 16. Mr. R. Cross, broadcasting, subjected Italian action on entering the war, and her position in the Nazi “new order,” to a critical analysis. He said: “Certain of an effortless victory, Mussolini neglected to equip either his army or air force, trusting to his ability to choose the right moment to jump in. Hitler’s judgment was no sounder than Mussolini’s. Hitler thought that Britain was bound to give in. and although he knew Italy would be a military liability rather than an asset, he was content to regard Italy’s doubtful military value as a matter of little moment. Events, however, belied his expectations, and Italian weakness soon became painfully apparent. “Modern war requires a plentiful supply of coal, iron, timber, and rubber. Italy had none of these materials, nor the capacity to turn them into armaments. They could only be obtained' through Germany, and from the moment Italy became dependent on Germany, she fell more and more in a position of vassal. The real meaning of Hitler’s ‘new order’ was absolute supreme over-lordship by Germany over any country coming within the orbit of her power. “Within the ‘new order’ in Europe, Itatly occupies, by far, the most ignominious position. She is the only country which fights war for her own enslavement. Other European countries have been subjected by various degrees of brutality, terror, and compulsion, but Fasicst Italy alone is shedding the blood of tens of thousands of her own sons, only to make certain of her servitude to the socalled ‘Herronvolk.’ ” Mr. Cross added:—“The splendid army of the Nile has become the spearhead of Britain’s regained military offensive strength. It may not be possible to engage our real enemy, Germany, for some time, but Germany will continue to receive our attention by air and sea blockade. Italy’s preparations during her period of non-belligerency, were not for war, but for a share in a victory achieved by Germany. Mussolini now finds it more dangerous to be Hitler’s ally than Hitler’s enemy. But, however badly Italy is faring herself, she still is useful to Germany. The war is only beginning. A black eye, a bleeding nose, and hits below the belt, of which Britain has had many, do not matter. We know that we can hang on!”

“FASCISM DOOMED.” RUGBY, January 16. Declaring, “Fascist Italy has deliberately willed this war against England,” Sir A. Sinclair (Air Minister), speaking at Glasgow, said that Italy had gained nothing from the sacrifice of Italian lives in Spain. “She stands to lose everything, because of Mussolini’s cowardly miscalculations and unprovoked attacks, first upon France and Britain, and then upon the heroic Greeks.” Fascism was doomed, Sir A. Sinclair stated, and friends of Italy must hope that strong Italian forces would break the grip of the Fascist regime, before they were dragged down into German slavery and ruin.

■ WHOLESALE ARRESTS (Recd. January 17, 12.20 p.m.) LONDON, January 16. The Italian secret police have begun wholesale political arrests at Trieste and Venice, says the “Evening Standard’s” Belgrade correspondent. Trieste’s Capodistria prison now contains 5000 political prisoners, including women ■ and adolescents most of whom are allegedly pacifists, defeatists, saboteurs, and Communists. A huge concentration camp is being built alongside the prison, for the increasing shipments of Albanian insurgents, who already exceed 2000. Food shortages in north-eastern Italy are severe. Meat, butter, fat, eggs, olive oil, coffee, tea and cocoa are unobtainable. Malnutritional diseases are increasing.