Evening star., 1943-07-19
Scorza Addresses
Frantic Appeal for
Italian Resistance
By the Associated Press

BERN, July 19.-Declaring tina
Italy would be dismembered, hel
people enslaved and her treas.
ures looted If she yielded, Carlo
Scorza, new secretary OF the
Fascist party, broadcast from
Rome last night a frantic appeal
for last-ditch resistance to the
Allies.
The speech, obviously a reply te
the Roosevelt Churchill uncondi-
tional surrender demand which last
week was conveyed to the italian
people by radio and leaflets drop
ped from planes, acknowledged
however, that the plight OF Italy is
desperate.
Italy, Scorza said, is "as never be-
fore. in mortal danger" He pictured
her as "a little group Of men" stand
Ing out against the two richest pow
ers In the world who, he asserted,
as most avid to gorge and wishing
to destroy her territorial and politi-
cal unity and abolish her rights"
"War of Continents"
THE Italians know that this is a
war of continents" he said. The
Italians know that this is a war of
race, with the British and Ameri-
cans as the vanguards of the in
ferior hordes"
Although he made no direct ref
erence to the Allied ultimatum he
held that only through continued
resistance could the Italian nation
survive. Recounting the nations
gains under q years of Fascist rule,
he painted a stark picture of the fate
In store for Italy in surrender
Resist! Resist! Resist" he ex-
horted If the enemy should be
victorious, what fate would befall
us? The nation would be broken
up; the people would be reduced to
a mass Of serfs and most of them
would fall under the Russian whip.
The stronger would be sent to toll
In the Ural mines and on the
Steppes; the less strong would raise
flowers for the ladies or would
sketch ceramics for English baro-
nets. The sacked museum, the
schools subjected to the whims of
the conquerors: the idle arsenals,
the ports deserted of our ships; the
closed factories, the abandoned
fields would bear witness"
Predicts CounterbIows.
The speech also hinted at even
more drastic regimentation for the
already bomb-shocked population,
and declared that although the Al
lies now held the initiative, the
Axis would bide its time and seize
the first slackenlng in the attack as
the moment for counterblow
The most severe sanctions will be
applied Immediately and publicly
against those who eventually might
not observe the order to die at the
battle station or work BENCH" he
said
Scorza elaborated on the theme
that Italy had had no alternative
but to enter the war on the side OF
the Axis, because she could expect
nothing from the Allies
This was intended to dispel any
hopes that the Italians might have
Of liberal peace following uncondi-
tional surrender. in the opinion OF
Swiss newspaper commentaries.
One Rome dispatch appearing in
Swiss newspaper declared President
Roosevelt and Prime Minister
Churchill promise absolutely moth
ing" and said the ultimatum threat
ems that the people must bear the
consequences of their own choice
although they really have no choice
but simply must endure what the
fury of war sends them"
Leaders Concerned.
Die Tat insisted that the idea of
unconditional surrender was not
suited to winning the Axis nations
toward peace. 1T constantly shows
itself as serious psychological error
in Allied policy toward Europe" the
paper said.
1t was generally agreed by most
Of the press that Scorza's speech
could be taken as Fascisms answer
to the unconditional surrender de-
mand. but it also was seen as An
that Fascist leaders are
deeply concerned over the situation
within Italy
The German press opened up with
a big display of articles yesterday to
try to give comfort to the people on
what is happening in Sicily by tell
ing them that it would be much
more difficult for the Allies to land
on the continent than on Sicily.
The people were given more words
than at any time since the Sicilian
campaign began, but they got no de
tails on the fighting beyond what
were contained in the official COM
Makes Light of Sicily.
The Germans were told that after
ali, Sicily is only the fore field of
Europe" and the Allies encountered
only the problem of setting several
divisions on land" Sicily always
has been "a sensitive spot" the argu-
ment ran. because of limited fortifi-
cations and the superiority of the
Allied fleet. Thus in the Axis stra-
tegic planning Sicily was considered
only forward insular position"
The Germans were told that the
Allied landing took a great expendi-
ture of shipping. men and material,
thus tying up and delaying an at
tack on the continent. Now much
more of these essentials would be
needed for the main attack" one
paper wrote.
Sicily was easy for the Allies. said
the Hamburger Fremdenblatt, with
armies collected on African soil,
strong air force and a clever battle
heet." But a surprise would come
If the continent should be attacked,
the paper said.