Evening star., 1943-07-17
UItimutum to ltuIv

'The time has come for you to de-
eide whether Italians shall die for
Mussolini and Hitler-or live for
Italy and civilization" That is the
reSounding climax of a joint mes
sage from President Roosevelt and
Prime Minister Winston Churchill,
addressed directly to the Italian
people and conveyed to them in
every practicable fashion, from radio
beams to leaflets dropped from air.
planes.
Although no time limit is set for
compliance, every Italian must be
aware that this is an ultimatum.
The Allied invasion of Sicily rolls
swiftly onward, while Naples is
again devastatingly bombed. The
skies over Italy and its elongated
coasts are alike dominated by Allied
air and naval power. Invasion
threatens the peninsula itself in the
near future. Germany is hard
pressed and the hopes of Axis victory
have long since faded into nothing
ness Further resistance in a hope
less fight can bring Italy only added
loss and ruin for a cause which is
not her own but which was foisted
upon her by Mussolini and his
Fascist clique, greedy for what looked
like easy spoils.
Such is the dark picture painted
by a last warning before the full
fury of Allied might descends upon
Italy and it's inhabitants. 1t has
been preceded by others uttered in
dividually by the President and Mr..
Churchill in the past two months,
but this latest admonition acquires
tenfold persuasiveness from the grim
happenings of recent days No Ital-
ian can be unaware of the fearful
ordeal that is in store if resistance
continues.
Nevertheless, it seems unlikely that
Italy will capitulate at once. The
Fascist organization is in complete
control, and every prominent men,
ber knows that, for them, there will
be no mercy Behind the Fascist
hierarchy stand German divisions
and equally desperate Nazi agents,
on Italian soil. For more than
twenty years a ruthless police state
has rooted out all opposition, drugged
the rising generation, and sapped
the moral fiber of the people. There
are few indications of an effective
underground organization ready to
rise in dynamic revolution. A ma
jority of the Italian people is ap-
parently ready to quit the war on
almost any terms, but there seems
to be no way of Immediately trans
lating their desires into action.
1t is also possible that Mussolini
and his henchmen may be able to
galvanize their compatriots to fur
ther efforts because of what the ul-
timatum leaves unsaid. Nosspecifc
rewards are held out as a recon-
pense for compliance with the Allied
demand Not O. word is said about
the colonies, the frontiers of the
homeland, the matter of food, or
the political settlement, and there is
the implied likelihood that Italy will
be used as an Allied base for the
further prosecution of the war
against Germany. Certain phrases
in the message such as "a restora-
ton of national dignity, security and
peace" and "a respected place in
the family of European nations"
have hopeful ring. But. for the
present, Italians are told that "the
sole hope for Italy's survival lies in
honorable capitulation." That seems
merely paraphrase of the "uncon-
ditional surrender" program laid
down by President Roosevelt and
Prime Minister Churchill last winter
at Casablanca. The Allies make no
commitments. Italy must throw in
its hand without discussion and trust
to the victors' magnanimity and en-
lightened self-interest.
It will be interesting to observe
the psychological reaction Of the
Italian people to this uncompromis-
ing summons at so dark an hour.
Presumably the authors have all
possible information as to the Ital-
ian state OF mind, and expect to
produce notable results; if not i'm
mediate, then in the shape of a
progressive softening in popular
morale. That, however, may be pre-
ceded by an emotional flare-up under
the spur of Fascist propaganda. The
workings of national psychology are
full of surprises
6~@4 (k~rs~ OI--