Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-07-31


transition easy, for it is centralized
administration applied to all "a provinces
of the kingdom of Italy.
1t is patterned after the centralized
administration of France.
The projects, or general administrative
agents at the head of the provinces, are
appointed by the government at Rome, and
they have had full control of all local
authority
Mussolini never altered this pattern
of local administration, except to make
it more efficiently centralized in the in
terests of Fascist control.
The projects of the provinces became
Fascist leaders, but with their role I'M
changed
The local municipal councils of Italian
cities and communes were suppressed by
Mussolini, and in the place Of officials
chosen by the former local representative
bodies, he put all municipal government,
including rural communes, under sort of
city manager, appointed by the minister
of interior, for whom he chose the ancient,
autocratic title Of podeStd.
AS stated this type of administration
facilitates the establishment of military
government, which by necessity also,
is autocratic, unrepresentative and CEN
tralized.
CICILY is divided into about nine
- provinces.
Several provincial capitals, Ragusa,
Syracuse Caltanissetta and Agrigento, are
already occupied by Allied armies
Presumably military government means
the appointment of military officers, re-
sponsble to the military governor, to. fill
the former office of project in these
provinces.
This has probably already been done.
In important Italian cities and towns
the podesta will be, or will have been, a
Fascist, and in accordance with the official
announcement, will be replaced, probably
by an Allied officer of junior rank.
But most minor administrative of
fcials, who are Sicilians, can likely be
continued in employment, though, in my
opinion each one should be recon-
missioned.
Under proper military theory. such
officials should not be required to take an
oath of loyalty to Allied governments, but
they should be required to take an oath of
obedience to Allied military authority
DOLITICAL theory and legal require
i ments differ in different countries on
the important point OF Wnetner q cluZen
or subject of occupied territory may or
should serve in an official capacity the
military Intervention.
BY the laws of some countries such
service is treason, but in Europe generally
and this is definitely the German rule,
as our own troops found in the Rhine
occupation-it is judged to be so ad-
vantageous to have local government
proceed smoothly, in customary hands,
that the continuation in minor office is
recognized as proper and as an obligation.
The Italian codes of law and all local
ordinances will remain in operation, so
far as they are not prejudicial to Allied
political theory or to the army mission.
But they may be suspended or re-
placed by general orders of the military
governor.
1t will not be representative govern
ment, nor will any political organization or
activity be left to Sicilans, but nothing
in recent previous experience would lead
the inhabitants of Sicily to expect this or
demand it, and, considering the high type
and training of officers that will be
used in this military government, it may
be expected that the inhabitants of
this island will presently have better
administration than the island of Sicily
has ever had,