APPEALS FUTILE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21150, 19 July 1943, Page 3

APPEALS FUTILE

ITALIANS' REPLY LIFE AND DEATH ISSUE GERMAN HELP SOUGHT (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) GO a.m.) LONDON, July IS. For the first time, the Rome newspapers yesterday published the full text of Mr. Churchill’s and President Roosevelt’s message which has been dropped by planes over Italy. The Giornaie d’ltalia gave the message under the head-line, “Roosevelt and Churchill call on the Italians for Cowardice and Dishonour.”

The New York Times correspondent in Berne says that official circles in Rome, commenting on the message, said it olferecl little or no hope to tiie Italians because the circumstances under which Italy was conducting the war gave her but one choice —to repel the invader or attempt to nail him on a determined line where he will wear himself out in a war of attrition.

The Italians and Germans have not been told in their home broadcasts of the joint appeal of Mr. Churchill and President Roosevelt, but the Rome radio gave the first Axis reply to an overseas broadcast.

“It is futile for the British and Americans to search for Darlans in Italy. They do not exist.” said the radio. “The Italians have been asked to betray their cause and place themselves at the disposal of the invaders. Even if Italy surrendered it would not mean that she would again find peace. The Italians would still be in the war ancl would be asked by the invaders to turn their weapons against Germany. Italy would have to give up her agricultural, industrial, financial, ancl military resources to the invaders and thus Italy would still continue to suffer the horrors of war.

“We would suffer even more. The hard trials we have already suffered would be in vain. This would be the first inevitable profit. Italy must realise that if she unconditionally surrendered these are the only advantages we would receive from those who invite us to lay down arms. Commonsense tells us that Italy would become a battlefield in any case. If the British and Americans say that their goal is Berlin, then their way to it is Italy. Italians know full well that for them the war is one of life and death.”

Reuter’s Zurich correspondent says that the Giomale d’ltalia, in an appeal to Germany, recalls Mussolini's promise to Hitler that when one has a comrade one much march with him to the end of the road. The paper adds: “If ever this word held good, it is in this decisive moment.” “It is a matter of course that wherever the Britons and Americans attack Europe, the Axis appears as a single entity,” said the Berlin radio, “Where Italian soil is being defended, it will be defended jointly. The soil of an ally is for Germany as sacred ns our own.”