Evening star., 1943-12-26

mace the parachutes into shirts and
the parachute cords into shoe strings.
The Italians occupied the village and
threatened to shoot every one unless
the arms were turned over They got
three tommyguns and departed.
Underground leaders estimated that
the Italians and Germans Intercepted
about TO tons of arms out of the first
100 tons received. ss So
Ovra, the Italian Gestapo intercepted
copies Of lie Patriotic, which circulated
from hand to hand at rate OF 5000
copies month. The newspaper was
printed on small hand press, which
was lodged one night under an isolated
bridge the next in a cave and the
thlrd in farmers house. Its outside
news was gathered by the British
Broadcasting Corporation, while many
on the island served as reporters, walk
ing miles through winter nights to pass
on news for the paper. Women friends
and relatives of the editors kept them
supplied with food, which was no easy
task when everyone had to have a ra-
ton card and Identification papers.
In June the Ovra and the Germans
struck, attempting to crush the move
ment by wiping out its leaders. Only
the Communist-or organized national front
retained its structure, thanks to its cell
system of organization.
Nlcoli, who was one Of the editors of
the paper. was sitting in a cafe In
Ajaccio with two underground leaders,
Jules, district chieftain, and Andre,
an underground information officer,
when the Italians entered. Nicoli es-
capped, but Jules and Andre were killed
at the table before they could get away.
simultaneously Ovra arrested 20 un-
derground leaders who had been be-
trayed, apparently, by some of the 20 900
Italian residents of the island.
A few days later Nicoli was arrested.
and they were all shot.
1t did not frighten the people into
dropping their resistance. The leader
less groups were brought into the ma
tional front fold until its membership
sWelled to 5000. DIstria, as military
chief, did much in the reorganization
o1 the executive committee,
Demonstrations Ordered,
This committee laid out plan Of
attack for the whole island, assigning
each cell and each village separate
task. To test the power of their or
ganization and worry the Italians and
Germans, they ordered series of dem
onstrations. One day the order would
be passed to every one to wear a paper
trl-color, the next that no one sit in
cafes, and the third that every one gath
er at certain park at an assigned hour.
The response was overwhelming.
"D-day" plans to mobilize were then
drawn up and the minute men, now
between $4,000 and $1,000 strong, sat
back and awaited the moment to strike.
Practically all Corsicans are De Gaull-
lists in that they see In the Fighting
French leader the symbol Of resistance.
Their organization into front of re-
sistance was noteworthy when 1t is re-
membered that Corsicans never have
been politically conscious in the modern
sense.
Corsica has provided a test tube for
American and British officers to study
the military assistance partisans or
guerrillas can give to Allied armies in
vading a country.
Guerrilla Forces.
The fighting value of guerrilla forces,
as shown on Napoleon's Island, has
definite limitations and, while their ac-
ton cannot be decisive, It presents .
definite military hazard to the Ger
mans.