The Wilmington morning star., 1943-07-31
Interpreting
The War
BY KIRKE l., SIMPSON

An abnormal and significant ds
gree of official reticence stiJ co' os'
cred last night the purpose of tw.
surprise British war cabinet hwy
dies in London during the dav. E but
other circumstances left smaii
uoubt that the break which co,.it
take Italy out of the war was cIo..
at hand.
American and Canadian troon.
are storming the main central p' ses
ment of the Axis defense line 8
Sicily. They are well beyond cam
tured Nicosla and Agira, almop,
within reach of break -thron~H
that would crumple up the wboI.
Etna position, Its collapse tror'
Catania to the north coast il inn
minent as Allied hombers hlista.
relentlessly Fey functions beb;nd
it like Cesaro Randazzo. Regalhn'
to and Adrano in perfected ami
cation of the Allied theory of n.
tactical function of aviation in snn
port of advancing ground troons
| Meanwhile, however. a more ono'
inous threat of events to come or
inc Italian mainland itself was no.
ling registered Long range bon,b.
ers from Sicily or even from acroS,
the Mediterranean were concan,
trating on Axis air installation,
across the whole Italian boot sortl
of Naples. They met virtually M
air opposition and only sporadic
anti-aircraft fire as they blasted
or burned out field after field IN
report easy going Grounded enc.
my planes were frequent targets
This lack of vigorous organized
resistance is highly significant II
implies that Nazi air power al.
ready has been largely pulled out
of southern Italy and that Italian
pilots and ground gun crews have
little stomach to keep up the fight
whatever the orders from Rome
The apparent stepping-up Of the
Allied air attack on the mainland
must be more than an effort to
halt reinforcement Of the doomed
Axis garrison in Sicily, It is a
sure prelude to Anglo-Anerican
invasion of the Italian mainland
itself under cover Of bursting air
bombs and shrieking shells from
naval guns if Rome fails to heed
the surrender ultimatum beamed
ito its government and people by
) General Eisenhower.
Some elements Of t he italian
mainland army has already quit
: cold as did much Of the Italian
garrison of Sicily. Other parts Of
lit are reported in armed conflict
with Nazi forces above or on the
Pc river line far to the north,
where Hitler is hastily setting up
an extemporjzed inner wall for
lis continental fortress to replace
the already shattered coastal bar.
rlers in Sicily and on the Italian
mainland boot. Still another seq.
nlent in Milan is said to have re.
i volted against orders to fire on
civilian peace demonstrators and
Joined in< the demand for accept
ance of Allied capitulation terms
Even if these symptoms Of i'm
mediate Italian collapse are pre-
mature, they strongly sustain the
view in even pro-Axis capitals Of
Europe like Madrid that the end
for Italy is in sight, matter Of
hours or days at most; and that
the shaky Badoglio regime in
Rome dare not long delay sur
render approaches to London and
Washington or fall itself
To cap the crisis for Badoglio
President Roosevelt made it known
during the day that he does not
care who makes the surrender so
lcng as it is not a Fascist official
Mr.. Roosevelt also warned all
European nelltrals, with prompt
backing from London that the Al
lies would frown on any gIanHhs
of refuge WITHIN their territory 70
Mussolini or any other Fascist
,, criminal" seeking to escape ms
J lust deserts. That raises queS,
, ton as to whether surrender OIL
il Duce and his accomphce aS,
c1st leaders FOR trial mlgh' no' NC
among the capitulation terms.
y If and when surrender comes,
' however, there is small doubt s ala,
] ii is General Eisenhower ''"4H n
under broad directives, VINO Will