ITALY’S KING COULD NOT STOP WAR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 94, 21 April 1944, Page 5

ITALY’S KING COULD NOT STOP WAR

HEIR TO THRONF EXPLAINS FASCIST-NAZI UNION TOO STRONG Recd. 8 p.m. London, April 19. ‘Tt would have been impossible for the King to prevent Italy declaring war against Britain and France in 1940,” declared Prince Umberto, heir to the Italian Throne, in the course of an exclusive interview with The Times Naples correspondent. He added: **Had the King attempted to resist Mussolini it would have brought the Germans down on us. What happened last September would have happened then, and it must be remembered that Germany, in 1940, was not warring against Russia and had her army intact. The linking up of Fascism and Nazism made any other course out of the question. Moreover, there was no sign that the nation wanted it otherwise. Not a single voice was raised in protest. Ostensibly. Mussolini had the country with him.” Referring to Mussolini, Prince Umberto said: “That man was very clever at exploiting the feelings of the people. He knew just how to play thereon, and gather credit for everything which went well.” Referring to the future of Italy, Prince Umberto expressed the opinion that the Allies expected Italy to run before it was able to walk. “I feel it is rather rash to let the people say just what they like after such a long break. That has led to a lot of wild talk and these insults to the King.” The correspondent says Prince Umberto is- known to detest Fascism, but as a result of a decree in 1928 making his succession to the Throne dependent on the goodwill of the Fascist Grand Council, he became almost the council’s prisoner and was bound to follow its cue if he wanted to remain heir.