ANTICIPATIONS CONCERNING ITALY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 229, 29 September 1941, Page 4

ANTICIPATIONS CONCERNING ITALY.

JTAIA ’S plight is becoming so pathetic that the country is the subject, of pity, despite the war. 'lhe Italian Army is being seconded by German officers once again. This presages its use either against Turkey or against Ihe Nile Army, or possibly in both operations simultaneously. The Italian Xavy is now under Admiral von Raeder and German sailors are mixed with those of ihe Italian Xavy. For the past three months this Germanisation of the Italian services has been going on, and action in one field of operations or another cannot long be delayed. It has been estimated recently Unit the Royal Xavy has been able to sink one in five of the Italian vessels which move across the Mediterranean to North that a considerable portion of the rest of the fleet has been so damaged that it must, perforce be withdrawn for repairs. These sinkings and damage to the Italian shipping in the Mediterranean will also operate to delay military operations, but the difficulty is that the greater Ihe handicap which is imposed upon Italy the greater is the difficulty presented in maintaining even a condition of status quo in North Africa. The Italian people have to submit, to the. dragooning of their ■services and of their civilian populations by German specialists who are undoubtedly superior in efficiency to those their opposite numbers in Italy. If Italy suffered a severe reverse in any field the repercussions inside Italy might be far-reaching. There arc already signs that the internal tensions are increasing and the belief is held that another Fascist Party purge is imminent. Purges are not signs of strength, but of weakness. After every operation of this kind the public realises that the path of glory is leading one step nearer to disaster. A regime which depends upon Iho leadership of a ‘'.Man of Destiny” must always bo on the march, but. unfortunately for the “Man of Destiny,” unless he is successful he ceases to be regarded as the “Man of the Moment” and his destiny is likely to be settled for him in rather a precipitate manner.