The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1944-02-16
Italian Future
Washington POST

Soon the time must when political decisions
on Italy can no longer be avoided That time, of
course, is when Rome falls, a prospect which is
drawing near Then the position of the House of
Savoy must be reviewed in the light of posarmistice
experience with the egregious head of that House,
Victor Emmanuel That experience has merely for
titled the opinion expressed in these columns after
the Italian armistce. Victor Emmanuel should have
had no place under the Allied wing All that has hap
pened is that the King, from his Allied protected
capital in southern Italy, has organized camarilla
of Fascists and germanophile generals, while our
forces have been struggling to uproot Fascism by
force of arms. The contrast has damaged prestige
considerably
The arguments for rescuing the King and in
salling him in southern Italy British arguments
Mr.. Churchill is known to have abiding respect for
monarchy. He and the British sold us the notion
that the King still held in high regard by the
Italian people Then the hold of the Kind on the
Italian navy, which has never hauled down its flag
was said to be unassailable The former argument
has now been proved to be false, though it never
had any validity. Victor Emmanuel long ago for
feited the italian affection while his rakehell of son.
Humbert enjoyed any. What remaining respect
there for Italy's King has evaporated since the
Allies put up the Kings shingle in the south 1t is
plain that Victor Emmanuel by rights to his
appelation as the father of Fascism in Europe
What has further been demonstrated is that his
encourage of military neo-ascists have been engaged
only in preying upon the peoples misfortunes This
l
against the Germans Fighting against the Ger
in the present setup means fighting for the
King And the people have stomach for it. AS for
the navy it is very much open to doubt whether there
much loyalty left the Kings ships for the House
of Savoy. Some of the admirals, to be sure pro-
royalsts But they by means include the lesser
officers according to returning travellers These
would obey any established government would
the crews, who, in fact disaffected by King
Victor Emmanues retention of the throne that they
constantly kept aboard and denied shore leave.
Thus experiment which has marred rela-
tons with the Italians should be wound up before
standing in Italy. The need for this is greater in
the north. If the monarchy has lost all face with the
sentimental Neapotans it would not be tolerated in
northern Italy. In this section of Italy there is
political consciousness than exists in the south No
forgiveness be found north of Rome for the
who sold the Italians into bondage to their sawdust
Caesar. With ounce of courage, the King could
have saved them from II Duce for he refused take
advantage of Badoglios offer of couple of battaons
to que his initial disturbance Moreover the north
wroh the Kings ignominious flight
from Rome leaving the whole peninsula north of the
Vourno TO the Germans 1t would enable the Italians
to recover their sef-respect to let this sorry King
fend for himself when troops march triumphanty
into the Eternal City 1t would likewise return the
Allied cause to position based squarely principle