BITTERNESS AGAINST ITALY

Evening Star, Issue 24326, 15 October 1942, Page 5

BITTERNESS AGAINST ITALY

GERMAN FEELING RISING dictators: meeting postponed LONDON, October 13. Rising feeling between Italy and) Germany concerning Italy’s military failures is reported in despatches to ‘ The Times ’ and the 1 Daily Express.’ Hitler is reported to have told Mussolini that Germany will soon occupy all Croatia and adjoining territory south of the Tyrol, as far as Trieste, “ to obtain more direct access to the Adriatic and the Balkans and‘better control of the war.” The German demands naturally are meeting with very strong opposition, and the dispute has led to the postponement of the projected meeting between Hitler and Mussolini. According to one usually reliable source, the Germans are infuriated by their frustration in Russia, and are throwing the blame for their failure on their satellites, especially Italy, for their slender assistance. The Italians are blamed for having sent to Russia insignificant forces of very poor quality, which, instead of toeing an asset, have been a hindrance and a nuisance. The Germans have again begun to rub in the Italian defeats in North Africa, Albania, and the Mediterranean, which compelled Germany to come to the assistance of Italy, thereby wasting time, men, and material which could better be used in Russia. The Germans say that even the Rumanians have revealed themselves better soldiers than the Italians, who are not even able to deal with General Mikhailovitch’s patriots. SIGNS OF MUTINY ITALIAN TROOPS IN GREECE LONDON, October 13. Alarming reports of unrest and mutiny among the Italian garrison in, Greece caused Mussolini recently to visit Athens, says the Cairo correspondent of the ‘ Daily Telegraph.’ The troops for months have toeen displaying increasing reluctance to be drafted from comparatively easy-going garrison duty to the uninviting Western Desert. A large part of a regiment recently blew up a ship at the quayside at Keradzini, near the Piraeus, which was waiting to embark them. Two hundred ringleaders, manacled in groups of four, were marched to a concentration camp through Athens. The population turned out and cheered. READY FOR OFFENSIVE ALLIES' GROWING STRENGTH CAREFUL PLANNING NECESSARY , LONDON, October 13. “Wo have now reached the stage where the defensive can bo replaced by the offensive, and the war can be prevented from dragging on endlessly,” said the Prime Minister of South Africa, General Smuts, who has arrived in Loudon for consultations and. discussions. x ‘‘ So "far we have been able with very great difficulty to hold our owu defensively against overwhelming odds. The switch-over will determine the■war’s outcome, and it therefore deserves most careful planning. We have now reached a stage in the war winch calls for a careful review' of the course before us. “ T am convinced that with the resources we command victory should be ours if we follow the right strategy with the utmost energy. This is a manmade war, and the peace which follows should not prove beyond human capacity or beyond the untapped resources of wisdom, planning, forethought, and goodwill which are still the portion of our race. I hope to have an opportunity of exchanging thoughts with the leaders on. tins most important of all problems—the winning of peace.” General Smuts said that, like other Dominion Prime Ministers, he had had frequent pressing invitations from Mr Churchill to visit London, but lie did not come earlier because of circumstances- beyond his control. He was peculiarly tied down by his duties _ in South Africa, where the political situation was very different from that in the other dominions. The position had considerably eased in South Africa. His talks with Mr Churchill in Egypt in August had made it clear that there might be some advantage in further talks in London. NEXT VICEROY OF INDIA LONDON, October 14. The newspaper ‘ Daily Worker ’ says that the Secretary of State for the Dominions, Mr C. R. Attlee, will be offered the post of Viceroy of India in succession to Lord Linlithgow, who is due to retire early in 1943. FRENCH WEST AFRICA ALLIED TROOP MOVEMENTS REPORTED LONDON, October 13. A Madrid correspondent states that Spanish diplomatic circles expect a change in the status quo of French West Africa within 48 hours. The Ger-man-controlled Swedish Telegraph Agency reports that Anglo-American troops are concentrated on the frontiers of Gambia and Senegal, and that a large Allied convoy was seen off Dakar. No confirmation of the report is given in Washington. UNREST IN NORWAY GERMANS KILLED IN CLASH WITH PATRIOTS NEW YORK, October 13. It is reported from Oslo that at least 200 Norwegian officials were dismissed after the state of emergency was proclaimed in the Trondheim area, while many employers in private undertakings have been ordered' to join the National Sanding, or otherwise risk a court martial. Tho people who fled from the territory to escape Herr Todt’s compulsory labour regulations must return. Police control over the Youth Organisation has been intensified because of the development of undesirable idealogical tendencies from the Nazi viewpoint. Six Germans were killed on the outskirts of Oslo in a clash with, Norwegian patriots. A young Norwegian shot a German officer in another, skirmish and escaped. News from Yugoslavia indicates that fierce fighting is going on in many parts of the country between the patriots and Italian and German punitive expeditions. Croat anti-Nazis have carried out a series of successful operations. It is reported from Dalmatia that patriots have captured the town of Kotok from tho Italians.