Evening star., 1943-07-23


to be imposed If Hitler's govern
ment is overthrown and the first
overtures for peace are made by
. new German government.
1t may well be that Britain and
America are content for the mo-
ment to let the dispatches from
Moscow create the impression that
as the war proceeds the German
people may have to make a choice
between surrender to Stain or to
the British-American mechanism
for occupying Germany and hold
ing 1t during the transition period
that must precede the making of
peace.
II the German conservatives, who
for many years have lived in mortal
terror Of Communism, insist on
clinging to Hitler and prolonging
the war, they may find a Red Army
marching into Berlin and dictat-
ing the internal administration of
Germany for a long time.
1t is conceivable that Britain and
America are quite willing to let
the effects of Moscow's newly an
nounced activity sink in, for in
evitably there must be a consider
able churning of all these contin-
gencies among German leaders as
the turn Of the tide in the war ap-
proaches.
Italy Another Front.
There is another front on which
psychological warfare takes on new
Importance 1t is in relation to the
internal situation in Italy. 1t can
well be imagined that the bombing
Of Rome was decided on only after
weighing all the pros and cons Of
the effect that might arise from
such a bold step. There can be no
denying that the Pope's protest and
plea against further bombings was
anticipated. 1t means a worldwide
discussion of the dilemma in which
the Allies find themselves as Musso-
lini hides his military arsenal under
the shadow OF sacred shrines and
cultural monuments.
Even now it is doubtful whether
MMsolini will wish to declare Rome
an open city, because this would
mean the shutting up of vital mill
tary plants located in Rome. The
Italian dictator will count on the
strength of the Pope's protest to
keep the Allied planes away from
Rome. Meanwhile, the Allies will be
compelled to make more raids in
order to impress the Italian people
that they should demand the neu-
tralization of Rome.
1t cannot be overlooked that the
Allies are thus bent on achieving
for themselves a military advantage
by forcing the Italians virtually to
abandon their military installations
tn Rome.
Dramatizes Allied Power.
The fact is that neither the Nazis
nor the italian Fascists have been
considerate of cultural objects in
bombing Britain, but there Is an old
saying that two wrongs do not make
. single right.
II the Allies could not survive
except by destroying cultural OBJ
tects by means of air bombings,
history might be more lenient but
1t is evident that the raids on Rome
were undertaken with the avowed
objective Of dramatizing Allied air
power and precipitating the very
debates and discussions inside Rome
that are going on today. This means
that the penetration Of the morale
OF the italian people has begun and
II Italy surrenders many hundreds
of thousands of lives will be saved.
AS for the effect throughout the
Catholic world, it may be said that
the Allied cause will not be material
ly improved and may even be dam
aged among the nations of the
world, especially those which are not
active participants or who cannot
perceive the immediate objectives of
a strategic nature involved in the
decision to bomb Rome.
Pope Likely Prewarned.
While the Vatican itself has not
been touched and care will be taken
in the future to avoid damage to the
religious shrines of Rome, 1t may be
taken for granted that in these days
OF indiscriminate attack, with wea-
ther changes making targets some
times dimcult to discern, the risks
in raiding Rome, If continued, may
prove to be greater than the mill
tsry gains.
It can be taken for granted that