Evening star., 1941-02-01
Italy Further Subordinuted
MussoIini Seen Eventually Facing Accounting With
His People os Germans Extend Hand of Control

strove to have the previous arrange
ment revised and insisted that Mus
solini should be content, in Tunis,
with Franco-Italian condominium,
which caused the latter to balk and
uncautiously start the attack upon
Greece.
For Nazi Troops.
Today, if Marshal Petain were to
be bullied into acquiescence to the
German proposals" Nazi troops
and not Fascist would settle down
in the regency. Developments
would be set in motion quite likely
to lead to the setting up of Ger
man protectorate with every pros
pect, for the Italian colony there,
to lose the privileged status con-
ceded in 1896 by the Paris govern
ment. A debonair French admins
tration would make room, to the
despair of that colony, for an over
bearing master.
1t is not difficult to perceive the
cogent arguments used by Hitler
in order to overcome Mussolinis re-
sistance, apart from the ratio of
supreme material force. One of
them was that Marshal Petain and
Gen. Weygand might be intimidated
in such way as to comply with a
German ultimatum, but that, fol-
lowing upon the defeats the Italians
have suffered in Libya, there was
no earthly chance of the'~ f"'lir~
in with any cession Of territories
by which the Fascist power would
benefit.
Gen. Wegand continues to hesi-
tate. He clamors for supplies and
yet, pertaining to his future line
OF action, is reluctant to give the
definite assurances which would
cause the British blockade to re-
lax as regards French North Africa
But, assuming that Italy comes for
ward and presses him to disarm and
disband the units under his COM
mand Utaly and not Germany has
been vested with that right in the
armistice conventions), what his at
titude would be is not open to doubt.
The other argument at the back
Of Hitler's requirements was in re-
lation to the morale of the italian
Army in Libya, not to mention the
Albanian front. Abundant details
have been learned about the be-
| ginning of the British campaign.
1t was undertaken as a gamble. 1t
was not to be launched until Janu-
ary. But Anthony Eden, who visited
Egypt last October Che was then
Secretary of State for War;, imbued
Gen. Sir Archibald Waveil with his
optimism and persuaded him to ad-
vance. by two months, the date pre-
vlously decided for action. When
they took the offensive, the three
British divisions relied on three
days water supply.
Low Morale Aids British.
1t means that the least show of
sustained resistance on the part of
| the Italians would have quickly
brought the undertaking to an end
But. for the attackers, the Italian
lack of morale proved a wonderful
| ally. Everything went on at times
as though Marshal Graziani's SOL
| diers only wished to lay down their
arms. A general was captured with
his bag and kit all packed for the
trip to captivity.
At the outset material was scarce
on the British side. The armored
/ division now in the running was
landed in Egypt as late as two or
three days before Tobruk fell.
BY the end of March active war
fare in Libya will have to be given
up, owing to the hot climate. Then
British and Italians will rest on
their respective positions for an in
definite period. Within the six or
seven weeks forthcoming will it be
possible for Gen. Wavell to seize
the whole of Cyrenaica? Elated by
! his achievements he can be expected