Evening star., 1943-08-01

Marshal Badoglio and the King were
quick to declare that the war would 90
on against those who had violated the
sacred soil OF Italy. to which Prime Min
lister Churchill replied by declaring that
Italy must surrender unconditionallv or
be Scalded, scorched and blasted from
one end to the other
President Roosevelt was equally en-
phatlc and went still further to warn
all neutral countries not to provide
refuge for Mussolini or any of the other
individuals guilty of fomenting this war
and its atrocities, Russia was even
more specific in similar warning.
addressing it directly to Sweden and
Turkey.
German Troops Pour In.
All week long the rumors about riot
ing and clashes between German and
italian troops have continued but most
of the reports have been attributed to
travellers arriving in Madrid or travel
ers reaching Bern" There is reason
TO place a great deal of credence in
some of the stories to the effect that
uprisings have occurred in many cities,
such AS Milan, where FaScism was born,
and that everywhere among the civilian
population the demand for peace has
grown in strength. Troops ordered to
fire on demonstrators are said to have
revolted and to have been placed under
arrest.
AS the week ended, there were reliable
reports that German troops are pouring
into the northern provinces of Italy pre-
pared to take their stand on what is
generally referred to as the Pc River
line. Italians are said to have clashed
with the newly arrived Germans and
there were other indications that the
NaZis no longer consider Italy as
partner in the war Italian submarines
at Fiume, for instance, were said to have
been placed under German guard and
German crews are taking over In
Greece, too, according to one dispatch,
German troops are disarming the tai
ians who are in the occupation garrisons.
Signs of unrest throughout the Bal
kans became quickly evident when the
news that Mussolini had been summary
kicked out reached the people. Rumania
already had refused a Hitler request
for more troops to go to the Russian
front Now Hungary and Bulgaria are
showing definite signs of weakening in
their ties with Germany. Ankara re-
ports that the fall of Italy may easily
result in the Balkan nations seeking re-
tirement from the war and the alliance
with the Nazis which was entered into
under duress in the beginning.
Mussolini Whereabouts Unknown.
After the removal of Mussolini, events
moved rapidly, the entire Fascist party
being ordered disbanded and the Fascist
militia absorbed into the army. Many
Fascist leaders were placed under arrest
but the whereabouts of II Duce himself
remains a mystery.
In setting up a new ministry, Premier
Badoglio. known as bitter enemy Of
Naziism as we'll as Fascism chose Baron
Rafaele Guariglia Ambassador to pro-
Allied Turkey, as Foreign Minister. I'M
mediately speculation was that the new
foreign secretary would find it far easier
through contacts in Turkey to make
overtures for peace. In fact, Guarlglia is
said to have had one meeting with
Turkish foreign officials
That nothing short of unconditional
surrender would be considered, however,
was made clear. Gen. Eisenhower, the
leader of the Allied forces in the Medi-
terranean, however, made the generous
proposal that for an honorable peace,
the Allied forces would free all Italian
prisoners, provided that Allied prisoners
held in Italy also be freed.
The big problem standing in the path
German troops in Italy, and Gen. Eisen-
hover insisted that Italy cease all aid
to the Nazis as a prerequisite to the en-
PERTAINING of any peace requests.
Fresh trouble for the Axis came with
reports that serious uprisings were oc-
curing in Fiume and Trieste in North
eastern Italy where nearly 100000 Croats
and Slovenes reside. 1t was reported
that the Yugoslavian 5th and 9Th Irreg-
ular Brigades had invaded the Udine area.
Penned in Small Triangle.
The fighting in Sicily has gone on
without letup but the defense of the
island il largely in the hands of the
German troops who are now cornered
In little triangle whose base runs from
Catania on the east coast to San Ste
fano Oh the north coast, this line BENG
known as the Mount Etna line. Tie
American forces on the north have MADE
some progress into the defenseS at San
Stefano. flanking the town and then ad-
vancing almost to the gates of the city,
which is being bitterly defended by the
Nazis
The Canadians in the center moved
forward a considerable distance during
the week, while the British 9th Army
clung fast to its gains around Catania,
though that bitterly defended city re-
mains in Axis hands.
The Germans, in frantic effort to re-
inforce their stand or die" forces, have
attempted TO bring in fresh troops bv
transport plane, many of which have
been shot down even as in the last days
OF the Tunisian battle.
Allied aircraft and naval vessels have
blasted number of places along the
Italian coast, but for a time there was
a tendency to ease off on Southern
Italy until it is determined what the
outcome of peace efforts was to be. That
Italy will be long in the war against the
Allies Is very doubtful. That the clashes