The Nome nugget., 1940-11-29
The Crows Nest
By William L. Babsr (Sitka Sentinel)

If you want to know how dear ly Hitler holds the love of Ben ito Mussolini, you have only to ponder today's reports that he has sent several attachments of his troops to Italy to take charge of the Roman war campaign.
 Whsther this report is strictly true or not does not so much matter, because other dispatches leaking through the censorship that blankets most of Europe have told previously about bick- ering and discontent among It. allan soldiers.
 Some of them can be believed. Certainly the general prediction back in June when Rome joined the war - that she would soon tire of the seige and find it too costly for the possible gains - is beginning to come true. And MT, King-Emperor-God Hitler is go ing to have his hands full direct ing and feeding two major arm jeS, no matter how much resert he and Mussolini can swallow in Egypt, Morocco or the near east.
 Germany is taking over the It allan military activity because she doesn't trust the Fascists to QS!q eIe GeqL '5u!qq5y enunuoo y tempermental Latins and tho they had the glories of war drill ed into them for year by Il Duce the comparatively small Ethio- war brought grumbling all over Italy.
 The aid given to rebel Franco of Spain, also brought shortages in Italy and when Mussolini pull ed out of the Spanish fiasco with nothing but thanks - Germany got the coal and iron and quick silver from Franco the public growlcd but took t.
 Now a third venture into war the most dangerous and costly venture of all is beginning to n2- bound also. American cores pondents with the Italian army have reported the lowest morale they had seen in decades. Food is sc2rce ard poor. quipment only [ r. military direction mediocre. Already Marshal Graziani has set word from Egypt that he h55 to have more tanks and more men to stand off the attack i-g British. Increasing candor in Roman war communiques has la.1 the groundwork for today's neVe - the nazifying of 1taly's armies. The high command has I n admitting more and more that British power has been talk ing huge tolls in Italian shipping. T failure to convince Spain tat she should go after Gibral- tar and the failure of Mussolini to bring the Japanese fleet into the Medit rranean to break the Br tish blockade probbaly dealt the Italian morale terrific blow. Germany wanted no Caporetto in this war, so she acted
 Haraction shows only too clear ly that Italy has been an unWill ing tail on the Hitler kite, that the Rome Berlin axis was an az reement of a strong and week power and that the strong would absorb the weak when the time can Despite Berlin's prediction Sat the world would be divided into great empires, into which I.a'y would have her portion. the prospect is that Rome will be come a puppet under Berlin and tha; Germany will hsnce con trol the middle Mediterranean as s5e admitted that she will for ever contror' NorWy and Den mark
 Before ever Mussolini declar- cd war on France observers had shown tha' her poverty woul1 keep Italy from being Of great assistance to any ally. She has only three strategic war mater ials in any quantity, her factories are subject to imports for their raw materials. she lacks gold