Evening star., 1941-01-12

AS news of the fall of Bardia pene-
trated to the Italian people, Mussolini's
Council of Ministers found it desirable
to issue very notable statement.
This expressed absolute conviction
that the great masses of proletarian and
Fascist Italy are and will be in every Cir
cumstance equal to the greatness OF
events And it further reafflrmed the
unshakable faith of Italy in the axis and
tripartite pact and its no less unShakable
decision to continue the struggle until
the victory that will give Italy her just
place in the new Europe"
Both the wording and the timing OF
this statement indicate serious anxiety
on the part of the Fascist government.
They indicate lack of confidence in
what is asserted. Even without such
additional evidence as Marshal Grazi-
ani's report or the crushing superiority"
of British equipment it would now be
reasonable to assume that MuSSollni is
very worried-both as to the morale of
his troops and the outcome of his diplo-
macy.
1t would be strange if this anxiety were
not dominant in Rome. For the stimuli
taneous collapse of the Italian invasion
of Egypt and of the attempted conquest
of Greece point toward an approaching
elimination of Italy as major bellig
erent.
Italy has not yet folded, as did France.
There is probably lot of fight left in
the Italian armies, perhaps even in the
fleet. But as an offensive and therefore
as determining factor in the war, Italy
seems to be through, BY itself that
country lacks the strength to retrieve the
disasters experienced on the sands of
Libya and in the mountains of Albania.
Tension Increases in Balkans.
Because of the still undiminished
power of the German war machine, the
disintegration of italian effort has at the
moment greater political than military
Importance. This is demonstrated by
the increase of tension in Balkan areas
which have so far been able to remain
immune. Both Bulgaria and Yugoslavia
are now clearly threatened with German
occupation and further Italian defeats
would be likely to increase their danger.
Germany can afford to regard Italian
difficulties in Africa with complacency.
These difficulties, indeed, make it easier
to strengthen Franco-German co-opera-
ton at the expense of italian territorial
ambitions now rapidly fading.
In the Balgan area there is now a
most delicate balance. Yugoslavia and
Bulgaria together form barrier to fur
ther German expansion, but it is a bar
rier which the German Army could un-
questionably sweep aside at any time
On the other hand, the Nazis hesitate to
invade the territory of these two sturdy
and democratic peoples, the more so be-
cause the invasion of either might bring
new enemies into the lists against them.
These potential enemies are Russia
and Turkey. Both of these nations view
with strong disfavor any move calculat-
ed to bring German troops closer to the
Dardanelles; both are interested in
maintaining the barrier against Germany
provided by Yugoslavia and Bulgaria.
Both are inclined to assert their interests
because of the evidence that Italy is fad
ing out as decisive factor in South
eastern Europe.
Germany Tries ePrsuasion.
Fearful of offending either Russia or
Turkey, the Nazis are endeavoring to
persuade, rather than coerce Bulgaria
into membership in Hitlers new order"
In these negotiations Berlin is doubt
less suggesting territorial changes as
well as trade advantages. Bulgaria
might get back its former outlet on the
Aegean Sea, though this strip of Thrace
is now Greek territory. Northern AL
bania, though still held by Italy, might
be given to Yugoslavia, while Greece
could be compensated by permanent oc-
cupation of the southern section now
under its military control.
Remote and largely incomprehensble
as the Balkan picture seems to most
Americans, it is against this background
that the Presidents message to Congress
mas to be judged.
There is much in that message which