The Wilmington morning star., 1943-08-15
Decision Was Commune
Gated Through The Vati-
can Two Weeks Ago
ITALIANS PRAY
u. S. Expected To Ignore
Announcement Until The
City Is Cleared
By JAMES M. LONG

LONDON, Aug. 14.-P)-.
The Italian government an
nounced tonight it had decid-
ed to declare bomb-battered
Rome an open city, but initial
British official reaction made
it clear that the declaration
would have to be accompan-
led by demilitarization steps
before the Italian capital is
removed from the list OF al
lied military targets.
Marshal Pietro Badoglio's
government announced that
its decision with regard to
Rome was communicated
through the Vatican two
weeks ago and that the allled
reaction had been awaited:
The announcement said that
in view of the repetition OF
the air attacks on Rome 1t
had been decided to make the
declaration Immediately and take
the necessary steps under interna-
tional law. j..
There was no disclosure up TO
late hour tonight that any over
tures on the subject had been re-
ceived by Great Britain. The AL
giers radio fatty declared that no
official information making Rome
an open city had reached the al
lies.
Full Removal Necessary
An official British statement sald
the Italian governments unllaterai
declaration cannot "affect the full
liberty of Gen. Dwight D. Elsen.
hover. allied commander-in- -chler
in the Mediterranean area. Ihus'
it appeared that Rome-a key CEN
ter of the Italian railway system
would have to be taken clear out
of the war if it is to be spared
further bombings.
Reuters. in a dispatch from al
lied headquarters in North Africa,
said the Algiers radio indicated
that military objectives in the
Italian capital would be bombed
as long as axis troops moved
through the city and 1T was used
for military purposes. Should
Rome be declared an open city,
the allies would be entitled to re-
ceive definite assurances from a
neutral or protecting power or
their own representatives that the
city actually had been stripped OF
all military significance.
War-weary Italians focked to
Saint Peters square for prayers
of thanksgiving as soon as the
news spread among them concern
ing their government announce
ment, the Vatican radio said.
The text of the announcement, a
bulletin by the official Stefani
news agency broadcast on the
Rome radio and recorded by the
Associated Press said:
1.-THE Italian government an
nounced on July 81 through an in
termediary of the Holy See its de-
cision to declare Rome an open
city and has been waiting to know
the circumstances in which this
declaration would be accepted.
"In view of the repetition of the
air raids on Rome, the center of
the Catholic world, the Italian
government has decided formally
and publicly to declare Rome an
open city without further delay
and the Italian government is TAX
ing the necessary steps according
to international law"
CA version Of the announcement
broadcast by the Berlin radio said
the necessary steps" already had
been taken but other versions did
not support this.)
Referring to the announcement,
an official British statement said:
1.-THE unilateral declaration by the
Italian government that Rome is
being converted into an open city
cannot, Of course, affect the full
liberty Of the commander-in-
chief"
The statement was given with.
out elaboration.
Not Removed
(The British view appeared to
be that mere announcement that
Rome is to be declared an open
city does not Immediately remove
it from the list of military tar
gets, but that the arrangement
must be approved by all parties
involved)
Up to late hour tonight there
had been no disclosures of any ov.
Continued ON Pare II, Column n