The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-12-23
ITALIANS WANT PEACE

So long as we do not exoeeerote the importance
Of the situotion it is encouraging to note that the
Italian people would be eoted if they could pull out
Of this war today or, at latest, tomorrow
We ore not thinking wishfully when envsion
the approaching collapse of ItoIy active axis
portner The form that the breakdown will take can
hardly be prophesied; is the Ioynon in position
to guess nteIIioenty whether MussoIinis duchy will
coptuote before or otter the AneIo-Americon bitz
strikes ocross the Mediterranean
But whatever the exact time, circumstances and
form Of the break it is oppotune for the United Ma
tions peoples to remind themselves Of certain peril.
nent foets about Itoys participation, and to condi-
ton themselves mentally for the diplomatic situation
that will result.
The Italians as people never have been in World
War IT, From the beginning they have been onti-
German They have race feared aggression
from the denoeroeies. They have known for q long
time that from Nozi victory they had nothing to
gain and everything to lose.
They were taken into the war by the dictator whom
many had embraced for internal and notiono|istc
reasons that had nothing to do with Hter's eloboI
stroteey
fidino themselves committed to war they did
not want allied with partner they hated and feored
fighting against they admired and liked, they
put on one Of the most impotent military exhibitions
in the worlds history
On the word Of highly competent American OBJ
servers, toy would have cracked long since and toss
Cd Sonor Mussolin off his tnse soopbox If the Nozs
had not been there.
One reason why no oynon can estimate the when
where or how Of the coming debocIe is that revolt
involves armed conflict between the Italians and what
In effect amounts to German army Of occupation
We must make up our minds now that the Italian
people ore different breed than the Germans the
japanese and are entitled, when they find opportun-
ty to cast off their shockes to different reception
from US.
Also, without denying that toys mtory collapse
will be reo victory for US, we must not exoeeerote
its importance On the whole, ItoIy has been greet
aid to Hitler He will not miss Italian fighting men
so much as Nozis he must send there to defend the
Mediterranean shores.
It is reasonable to believe that when ore ready
we can conquer toy with much help from her people,
II will still leave US long way from Berlin.
SHOWDOWN
There is the toe Of the girl worker in huge plant
making vitol plane parts who didn't know about the
unions production ceiling and doubled it her first
day on the job She told by the unions representa-
tive to take the parts home overnight, bring
them in the next day. and machine them over again.
But on the way out inspectors coue her and induced
her to tell the story
The union representative wos discharged without
protest by his associates.
Hos the ceiling been fted2 No. Production still
logs far below what new girl could turn out on her
first doy.
DON'T ENLIST
Because the United Stotes hos no co-ordnoted
monpower policy, the Army hos been obliged to in
ouourote don't enlist" campaign in some areas.
Enlistment Of key men from oircroft, ship and
other vitol plants has the Army worried. Quorter-
snostsr General Edmund B. Gregory is trying to count
eroct u by making eleor that induetees will enjoy
syey odvontooe that is open to an enstee, so there
hsRe Nonson for jumping the gun.
poellov woy Of course would be to odopt an
vonolt plan under which men vital to war industry