Evening star., 1941-11-15


harm to morale Many knowing
persons in Washington are inclined
to consider the rumor as the work
of the German Propaganda Bureau.
as Just another step IN its war Of
nerves.
This may well be true because
German propagandists are smart
enough to realize how much the
possibility OF having Italy Join them
would worry Britain, Russia, the
United States and all the others de-
voted to defeating the Nazis.
Take Benito Mussolini and the
problem he would present to MS
new allies. To begin with, all he.
seems to care about is to meet and
confer, and apparently the Brenner
Pass IS the only place he knows
how to get to- That's not a very
central place as far as Mr.. Churchill
and MI Roosevelt are concerned.
The President might be able to slip
over 10 the Brenner Pass OCCASION
ally but who knows whether or not
the Roosevelt boys would be able 10
get off long enough to make that
trip? And would a meeting Of
democratic world leaders be official
without one or more OF them pres
ent?
Another drawback Of All alliance
with Mussolini is that 1t would start
aim of on a new torrent OF SpeeChe
He'd be out on that balcony more
than Juliet is in a years run of
Shakespeare love story. and t.1e
world has had Just about enough
of Mussollnl's speeches.
Then, from an American stand
point, there is the LeaSe-Lend to
Italy to consider. Don't tell me We
wouldn't lease lend the minute tie
Italians chose a democratic SkiI5
to hide behind Italy'S lease-lond
would probably run to about So
900 900 0O0 This could easily be
raised by putting a IS per cent tax
on the amount Of income Ameri-
/ cans didn't have left after all Of
/ their other obligations had been
taken care OF.
/ Overnight from Portland 10 Key
/ West 10000 committees would be
! formed TO rush of food. money.
I clothes and notices of good cheer
TO the Fascist tuyncoats. Spaghett!
and garlic would be put on the
priority list and % Sole Mic" would
be shouted by every tenor within
/ shouting distance of a microphone.
! Another unfortunate result Of an
alliance between Italy and the anti
NaM forces would be the elmina-
/ ton of an enemy whose defeats
have done so much to bring cheer
when things seemed darkest The
British have always been able to
headline that the Itlians were on
the run in some part of the world
and this has been a potent morale
builder. To have the Italians come
over on the other side would rob
Britain OF sterling punching bag,
a sparring partner that could al
ways be counted on to take it on
the chin.
If there is any truth to the fright
ening rumor that Italy wants to put
the boot on the other foot. so to
speak, then it is time to consider
seriously the best means Of pre-
venting such a switch.
The surest way perhaps is for
Britain and her allies never to let
Italy know Of any major successes.
A bureau should be established
whose sole purpose is to keep Mus
sollm and the Italians convinced
that the Axis powers are winning
and haven't a chance of losing. As
we know from recent history italy
wants to carry the Waterbucket for
the winner.
The British may well be making
mistake in bombing Naples and
other Italian cities so severely. Just
a little too much of that and the
Italians may lose their German &C.
cent and start dropping their HIS"
It's nice to know, however. that
talk OF the Italian change of heart
so far is based on unfounded rumor.
But if it persists let us band to-
gether and form still another COM
mlttee in this country. this one to
be known as the A. A. B. A. B. Ar.
T. A. G. l. K. 7. I. T. A. or, to give
1t its full name-Aid America BY
Aiding Britain and Russia to Aid
Germany in Keeping Italy in the
Axis
Distributed by McNaught Syndicate, Inc.)