The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-11-20
WNU Service, l343 II street, NV
Washington, D. C..

WNU Service, 1S4S II street, INV,
Washington, D. c..
According to a number OF people
in Washington, of whom your cor
respondent is one, the most star
tlingly important event of the war
may be taking place and nobody,
including the enemy, will admit it.
A second front has. been opened,
the first carefully planned and
meticulously timed offensive against
the Axis since the war. started has
begun in Africa. There are diplo-
matte developments as well as mill
tary which, some believe, indicate
that the path to victory will lead
through Rome.
OF course, you couldn't get even a
Whit of official confirmation for
such a presumptuous assumption
from anyone higher than first SER
geant. Nevertheless, there seems to
be quite bit of circumstantial evil
dence to support the observation
of such a development. At the
same time certain happenings in the
diplomatic field add their touch OF
verisimilitude to what the military
might say was a bald and unwar-
ranted, if not unconvincing state
ment.
Such military information as ]
might offer, which has not been a
part of official statements, would not
be wise to print. But it Is permits
sible to recall that the Germans
claim that the British have q million
men under General Alexander's
command in Africa. The official
accounts of the number Of American
flown planes in almost continuous
activity over a huge area indicate
that the American air force in
Egypt is not inconsiderable, even
in these days Of giant armies and
armadas.
Apprehension in Tunisia
There are diplomatic reports Of
apprehension on the part OF the
populace of Tunisia, vital strip of
territory lying along the coast Of the
narrow waters that separate it from
Sicily, the Axis stepping stone from
Italy to Africa, which hint that
activities may extend even further
west than Libya. s3
These are some Of the outward
signs which are there for all to see.
% From a military standpoint
italy is the weak sister Of the
f Axis partnership. From the
standpoint Of anti-Nazi-Fascist
internal subversive organization
she is perhaps the strongest ally
for the United Nations. An AZ
rican offensive might logically
end in an invasion Of Italy.
The recognition Of these anti
Fascist underground organizations
as important elements in the gen.
eral Allied offensive against the
Axis can be taken as straw show
ing which way the tide of war may
be flowing. And they are being rec
ognized.
One very significant development
was a recent statement from Lon
don, which at first blush simply
seemed to dampen any hopes that
the king Of Italy might be force
in bringing about a separate peace
with Italy. But this negative sug-
gestion, when taken together with
certain other indications, has quite
another meaning. The London re-
port indicated that the king was no
longer the prisoner of Mussolini"
he had been pictured, but really the
friend of Fascism. This seemingly
gratuitous statement may well have
been offered as a piece Of firing data
for the diplomatic marksmen indi-
eating that they must change their
sights. And an inkling Of just what
must be done in order to obtain the
support Of the elements In Italy
which can be Of service to the Allied
cause comes from an objective re-
port on the underground in Italy.
This report, originating with anti
Fascist sources in the United States,
clearly analyses who these people
are, what they have already accom-
plished and what must be done to
get their cooperation. A realistic
program Is laid down by inference
which will not be at all palatable
to the conservative or the conven-
tional masters Of official intrigue
among the United Nations.
According to this report from anti
Fascist sources the underground in
italy is now composed largely Of
young men, born and educated in
Fascism, who are working entirely
from within its framework. They
are members Of the party because