Like Raising White Flag And Continuing to Fight

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 206, 31 August 1943, Page 5

Like Raising White Flag And Continuing to Fight

DECLARING ROME AN OPEN CITY (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Aug. 29. The Lord Chancellor (Lord Simon) ffpoke in Edmburgn on the Italian proposal to make Rome an ‘ 4 open town with the apparent view to insuring it from any further risks of air attacks. In international law, said Lord Mmon, he was not aware of any rule which conferred immunity from attack on a town which made such a declaration. The question of whether or not a town could be bombed from the air depended not on whether it called itseii open or undefended, but whether it Contained military objectives. Merely to declare a town open made no difference whatever. It was rather like raising the white fl&g while con tinning to fight. In any case, it wouia seem next to impossible to transform a great capital city, the seat of war manufacture, the nerve centre of administration, and the junction for military transport, into a purely nonbelligerent • area. According to a London cable, Count Ciano, the Countess, and three children have escaped from the house in Rome where they were guarded by eight secret police, says the German overseas radio quoting the Corriere .Delia Sera. The Countess left the house on Saturday morning and walked to the corner of a street, where she remained as though awaiting somebody. She afterwards returned to the house and later left with her children. It was clear subsequently that Count Ciano also left, it is believed, disguised.