Evening star., 1940-05-17

Of Italy's defenses at this moment
when Mussol!ni appears to be on
the brink of plunging into the most
dangerous gamble undertaken by
any European statesman since
Napoleon Ills challenge to Prussia
in 1870:
navy ------------------- --IOOQ
Army Badly equipped
Air force -------------Out OF date
Air raid preparations ons------------Nil
War resources Lacking
When, then, does a statesman
with one of the shrewdest political
brains in the world even contem-
plate taking such a risk? Because
he believes Hitler will win the war
by a knockout in the first round,
and he wants to share in the spoils
of victory.
The Duce never concealed Italy's
still unprepared condition from his
fellow-dictator. When Hitler, in
May, 1899, persuaded him to con-
vert the Rome-Berlin axis into a
military alliance by suggesting that
Britain's newly-given guarantee to
Greece was the beginning Of allied
''encirclement" of Italy in the Medi-
terranean, Mussolini stipulated that
his pledge should not become ef-
fective for three years.
Navy Most Formidable Arm.
But Hitler got impatient. He
thought he could seize Poland with
out any more unpleasant conse-
quences than had followed on his
occupation of Czecho- -Slovakia. For
eign Minister Won Ribbentrop con-
tinued to assure him that Britain
would never fight. The Fuehrer
decided to risk it-and brought about
the general war.
To Britain, If Mussolini joined in,
the italian navy would be the most
formidable arm that he possesses.
The narrow mid-Mediterranean
xaters-only 800 miles across-with
italian naval bases on both sides
and the fortified island of Pantel-
laria in the middle-offer ideal work.
ing conditions for the largest sub
marine fleet in Europe-110, some
people say 125, strong-and for the
f1otillas Of masses, or 40-mile-an-
hour surface craft upon which the
Italians have specialized.
The 80 submarines that I saw at
the naval review which Mussolini
prepared for Hitler at Naples in 1888
showed considerable maneuvering
skill. They all submerged at the
same moment, altered course by 80
degrees under water, and came up
simultaneously between the lines of
the advancing fleet which bore the
Duce and his guests.
Battleship Reinforcements.
The torpedo-speedboats, demon
strating their methods Of attack,
came zooming over the sea like
rockets, hidden behind their own
boW-waves.
To the four old battleships and a
score of cruisers that have hitherto
formed the main strength Of the
italian fleet has been added within
the last fortnight the powerful re-
enforcement of two new battleships
Of $4,000 tons, mounting nine Is
inch guns. Two more of these are
launched and completing.
The Italian navy, therefore, is by
no means to be underrated.
The fleet, moreover, is more anti
ally In temper than the army.
italian sailors have had a chip on
their shoulder ever since Britain
made naval demonstration against
italy in the Mediterranean during
the Abyssianian campaign.
Mussolini's military preparations
are much less advanced. His gen.
erals are known to have told him
emphatically that the Italian army
is not ready for war. This was con-
firmed by the report of Marshal
Caviglia, veteran who commanded
the corps next to that of Lord
Cavan in the Battle of Vittorio
Veneto. At the outset of the present
war he was sent on a special tour
Of inspection, as result of which
he informed the Duce that the army
was short of heavy artillery, anti
aircraft guns, anti-tank guns, boots
and uniforms.
Anti-Aircraft Defense.
BY an Italian technician well
placed to know I was told that Italy
has only 1900 anti-aircraft guns,
including $50 recently sent to her
from Germany. For war against
q Western European power she
would need 10000.
To the Duce the present war
brought some unpleasant revela-
tions about the italian Air Force.
That 1t went into the stage of mass
production too long ago for the
greater part of its machines to be up
to the most recent standards is
obvious, but it would seem that
Mussolin had been misled by his
own subordinates as to the num-
bers Of aircraft actually in service.
1t was forced landing in his own
machine last October on an out-of-
the-way military aerodrome that
opened his eyes. The Duce carries
with him on his flights a list of all
such establishments, and on landing
demanded to see the Savoia-Mar-
ehetti bombers which were officially
recorded as stationed there. It
proved that they did not exist, ex-
cept on paper. That discovery cost
Gen. Vale, the Italian Air Minister,
his post.
Output Increased.
I was told in Italy that a great
production effort is under way and
that the output of machines has
reached 600 a month.
Air raid precautions are practically
nonresident; no gas masks have
been issued; no shelters provided;