Evening star., 1942-01-23
BY DAVID M. NICHOL.

A dozen civil wars are brewing
within Europe in addition to the
general revolt against Naziism which
will boil over the moment Hitler S
awful grip is weakened.
So far they are formless and lead
erless. If Hitler wins they may
never occur. for Hitler's gestapo is
frantically building barriers against
them, in France and Italy, in the
Balkans and the Low Countries, in
Scandinavia, wherever they have
penetrated as allies or enemies, and
the gestapo is one of the world S
most efficient organizations in its
line.
Should these civil wars take place
they will have a common and re-
lated basis, however. They will be
more than political upheavals In the
limited sense. They will be savage
attacks on a system that permitted,
or at least took on positive measures,
to avoid the fearful predicament in
which the entire continent now finds
itself. They will be economic and
social.
1t is too early to say with any
certainty in what specific form these
may appear. Despite Hitler's con-
tentions that he is saving Europe
from Bolshevism by fighting the
Russians, I doubt very much If these
revolts will be Communistic, as the
world has previously known Com
munism.
May Seem Paradoxical.
Some of these outbursts may seem
on the surface to be paradoxical.
It is entirely possible, for example,
that the Spanish Bourbons may be
restored and the Bulgarian house
unseated in the wave that sweeps
over Europe. Italy's throne may be
shaken from its rotten foundations,
and the puppet Duke of Spoletta'
unable so far to visit his Croatian
kingdom because of the dangers In
volved, may never see Zagreb.
The fate of the Darlans and Quls-
linps and Musserts needs scarcely
snv comment. They will be the first
to disappear. perhaps even in upsets
preliminary to the wider and deeper
cstsclvsms into which Europe is
heading. The mislabeled repre-
sentative" structures will certainly
he revamped. and civil administra-
tions. torn apart by the Nazls and
their hirelings must be almost COM
pletely rebuilt.
Because of their size and strategic
Importance, France, the conquered
and Italy, the ally, represent LOT
the Nazis the most delicate and
dangerous areas. Reports OF fatigue
and unrest in Italy, OF bitterness
toward the Germans and toward the
government which created the AXIS
ties are too persistent to be ignored.
Under Nazi pressure Ito do some
thing" about these, the Italian gov
ernment has reacted sensitively re-
Gently and has silenced some OF the
neutral sources from which they
came.
It hasn't so far been able to do
anything about the emotional Neo-
politan who Kisses under cover OF
darkness when the British bombers
come, He lives over there. Why
don't you go to Romeo" and waves
the r. A. F. to the north with a
heartfelt signal the flyers never see.
Weak Spots in Sicily.
Sicily developed so many admin
istrative weak spots that there has
been a considerable transfer OF Off
cials between the island adjunct
and the northern industrial regions.
Italys supplies of food and other
goods have disappeared as thor
oughly as those in any Nazi-con-
puered nation.
There are many indications that
army and party circles themselves
in Rome are unhappy about their
allies and are veering toward a pol
Icy of passive collaboration like that
of Vichy, a program vastly differ
ent from full-scale assistance. 1t Is
likewise confirmed on excellent au-
thority that the Italians last fall
continued their efforts to fortify
their border with Germany-"the
border of little faith" as the Ital-
ians refer to 1t.
The basis for revolt in France
may be found in the opposition to
the tiny segment of the French
people who actually support Darlan's
policies. 1t consists of industrialists.
those who can still work for the
Nazis; financial interests who ar
IDENTIFY want peace before their
economic structure Is wrecked on the
dual shoals of domestic ineptitude
and Nal bleeding, and political op-
portunists who have frankly elected
for Naziism and will be wiped out
II it falls. They are opposed by the
bulk of the people.
Thinking Frenchmen in Vichy
sense this uneasiness and are ap-
palled at its possible consequences,
but 1t Is far more apparent In other
parts Of the country. The industrial