The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-03-14
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WASHINGTON, ID. G.
ITALY,s POWER,

1TALY'S POWER
Before his sudden foray by his
right flank on western Europe and
when there was still some specula-
ton as to whether he would not
team up with Italy and strike
France by his left flank, Hitler Ii
reported to have said that he didn't
even want Mussolini to enter the
war-that with Benito neutral he
didn't need to worry about that Sec
tor, but If II Duce came In he would
have to detach 30 German divisions
to protect him.
There was good sense in that. The
French general staff had somewhat
the same idea about Benito. The
only offensive they had planned
against Hitler was to strike Musso-
lini and they expected It to be
joyride. Before that could develop,
Adolf had sideswiped them on the
other side and Benito took what he
thought was his opportunity.
The world knows the result. Hit
Ter was right the first time. Re-
ports make it clearer daily that he
has simply had to appoint himself
receiver in bankruptcy for busted
Benito, with all the risks and re-
sponsibilities that the job implies.
Italy has become a vassal state to
Germany and, for however long 1t
may last, it is a fact worth remark
that Hitler has thereby restored APP
proximately the boundaries of the
Empire of Charlemagne In which
the inclusion of Italy according to
the great world historian Dupuy
''lost thereby its independence for
10 centuries"
As a modern war power, Italy
simply doesn't exist and, in compar-
ison with the rest, hasn't existed
in our time. No nation can really
be formidable in modern war with
out owning or having access to three
great industries-chemical, metal
lurgical and manufacturing. Italy
has had none Of these. She is just
long salient stuck out into the
Mediterranean where she is as vul-
nerable and uncomfortable as sore
thumb.
Once, as a great sea power az
well as a great land power, she
ruled the world, but that was when
it was principally a Mediterranean
world and when armies meant little
more than massed muscular man
power. Even then she was depend
ent on the rest of the world for
nearly all her metal and most Of her
food. Her principal value to Hitler
was her threat to North Africa,
bottle neck in the Mediterranean,
and such naval and military ma
terials and munitions as she had ac-
cumulated through the years.
Her equipment has been proved
obsolete, the threat to North Africa
is over and, SO far as she is con-
cerned, the bottleneck has been bro
ken. Benito was the worst bargain
that Adolf ever bought. Now that
bargain is his baby and the care
and policing Of it is going to take a
considerable part of his military,
naval and air power that he may
need desperately elsewhere.
PRIORITIES
There is a report in Washington
that we are going to have to stop
making electric washing machines
and later electrical refrigerators be-
cause Of the aluminium shortage.
This is said to be because of the
priorities Of delivery that will have
to be given to certain munitions in
dustries. O. K, they must not be
held up for lack of anything, if, as,
and when they need it. But in grant
ing a priority the OPM or the pri-
GRITTY board has much greater OBJ
legation than just channeling the en-
tire outflow Of strategic material
to Factory A or Factory B at its
demand especially IL the effect is
to close up normal industry en-
ploying many people.
A priority order should govern
not only total quantity Of delivery
but time Of delivery. It is up to
the government control to get the
strategic material to the user ex-
actly as it is needed. But it is also
up to that control in rationing
scant supply to see to it that there
is no boarding and no ordering far in
advance. of time Of use.
The very first thing that should
be done in the application of drastic
rationing is to explore every stock
pile in this country. Nothing Of
this sort has been done. It could
be,worked on a rough random check
through the insurance companies.
It could be done more thoroughly
and accurately by a QUESTIONABLE
dragnet. Leon Henderson would
know how to do it better than any
body know-and get the answer
in the quickest way.
Another activity for which govern
ment control is responsible before it
moves to unnecessary upsets and
deprivations, is to set up unit to
explore the possibilities Of conserve
ton and substitution. : ~ ASi
Practically nothing has been done