ITALY RELUCTANT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 172, 23 July 1942, Page 5

ITALY RELUCTANT

HITLER'S DEMANDS

More Men Wanted For Russian Campaign

United Press Association.—Copyright. Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, July 22

A battle of wits is being fought between Berlin and Rome over Hitler's demand for more Italian troops for the Russian front, says the Evening Standard Zurich correspondent. The chief Italian excuse for not sending more men is that unrest in the Balkans compels the retention of a large army there.

The Italian Press and radio, under orders, stress this excuse. The newspapers have suddenly been allowed to indulge in astonishingly frank descriptions of the Balkans cauldron. The general impression achieved is that Yugoslavia is the battleground and a large part of the Italian Army is there.

Berlin has seen through the Italian game, and the latest counter-move was the issue through a German Transocean News Agency a report that Italy and Croatia had signed an agreement for the withdrawal of Italian troops from a great part of Croatia.

Rome completely ignored this report, and there is not the slightest sign of the withdrawal of Italian troops. In fact, it is the last thing the Italians would do.