Evening star., 1943-09-07
ItuIy's PLIGHT

hnds itself becomes rapidly more
complex. What virtually all Italians
want, from the humblest peasant to
Marshal Badoglio and King Victor
Emmanuel himself, is to get out of
the war and be at peace. That was
why Mussolini and his Fascist min
ions were kicked out nearly two
months ago and a nonpolitical re-
gime headed by Italy's most reput-
able soldier installed in their place.
The hope was that, by this emphatic
shift, Italy could somehow wriggle
out of belligerency into a neutral
status and sit thenceforth on the
sidelines.
That fond hope, however, promptly
proved vain. America and Britain
made it abundantly clear that their
formula of unconditional surrender"
meant the right to use Italian ter
ritory at their discretion for prose-
cutting the war against Germany
the archenemy. And Germany made
it equally clear that she would do
her best to prevent it by all means
in her power. Since large German
forces were already in Italy. they
were in a position to enforce Berlin's
demands, and during recent weeks
they have strengthened their hold
The Badoglio regime still pleads for
the impossible, as when a recent
Rome broadcast stated, "the sooner
we have an honorable peace, the
better" But that Is mere verbal
juggling while Italy becomes bat
rleground between Allied armies
landing in the southern part of the
peninsula and the Germans en-
trenching themselves firmly in the
north. So strong has their grip
: become during recent weeks that
even If Badoglio should now formally
accept Allied terms it would make
scant practical difference. He would
probably be thrown out of Office and
replaced by a more pliable tool.
Popular resistance to the Germans
centers in the industrial cities of the
north, where large working -class
elements with revolutionary tenden-
cies exist. But that is precisely the
region where the Germans are in
control. Furthermore, such a revo-
lutionary movement would be di-
rected, not only against the Germans
but also against the House of Savoy
and the conservative elements who
put Badoglio in power. Their fear
: Of a radical revolution Is revealed in
another offcial broadcast indig-
nantly condemning the action of
the American and British govern
ments in admitting Soviet Russia to
membership in the Allied Mediter-
ranean Commission which, admins
ters conquered italian territory, and
asking the Allies. do they think
that, If Italy is bolshevized by them,
1t will be any better than If 1t. is
bolshevized by the Italians?"
Thus Italy's present rulers oscillate
between trilogy of fears: The AL
lies, the Germans. and and commu-
nistic revolution. The best they can
seem to do is to long vainly for a
peace which Is a will-o'- e-wisp,
dragging them deeper and deeper
into the morass Of warfare and de-
struction. The situation is so un-
tenable that 1t is hard to think 1t
can long persist. Somehow or other,
the vicious circle must be violently
broken. But Just when or how the
break will come is as yet uncertain.
Mussolini has vanished from the
scene and his whereabouts are still
a mystery. But the evil legacy of
his cynical and immoral policy which
plunged his country needlessly into
the war remains. and the bitter con-
sequences must plague the Italian
people. Garibaldi's curse upon him
who brought Italy and Britain into
conflict has proved to be no idle
phrase.