MIDDLE EAST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 228, 25 September 1940, Page 11

MIDDLE EAST.

LULL BEFORE STORM. SURPRISES FOR ITALIANS. (By JAMES ALDRIDGE.) CAIRO (Egypt), August 21. "All quiet on the Western Desert" is a sentence repeated daily in the communiques. The longer the temporary silence out there the. more ominous itis for the effects of the Italian invasion. The warning, may work off very soon and leave complacency in its place. Confusion exists as to how and when talk of an invasion began and by whom, and the people are wondering why it was started if the invasion is not coming yet. Who used this talk as a bluff and why? Was talk of an invasion originally covered up by Italy for other misdeeds in the making or was it a premature warning from here, given in all sincerity, but miscalculated in its timing? It certainly was premature as a warning. Theee questions remain unanswered here, but perhaps they can be answered elsewhere.

"Bus Has Not Started." Italy ie massing tanks in- the north. The attitude, reported back here from London, that Premier Mussolini "has mieeed the bus," is frowned upon slightly. It is said that "the bus has not started." It timely to re.peat what General "Jumbo" Wilson, leader of the British forces, told me a few weeke ago: "We are not under-estimating the enemy and do not intend to. It's dangerous." I am willing to bet my. boots that "Jumbo" Wilson is one of those saying, "the bus hae not started." The friction between Greece and Italy, reported here to-day, ie creating unpleasantness lest this be. a move Mussolini has. been trying to camouflage—an invasion of Greece, which would bring him one step nearer his object without having fought British troops, excluding those in Somaliland. Greece would make a nice stepping-stone, via Cyprus and Palestine.

It would be a nice how-do-you-do if Italy took Greece. When the Time *Comes. The Australians in Palesttne are spoiling for lack of action. They do not quite forgive Italy for putting an announcer on Rome-English radio news, whose accent is obviously Australian. Hearing this broad Aueeie talk from Rome is making them madder. Unfortunately because of the danger of revealing military eecrets it is

possible to report only what Italy is doing. The British here, too, are doing a thing or two themselves, which will surprise Italy when the time comes. In fact there are surprises in store for all when the fireworks start. Until then one day simply trips over another. N.A.N. A.