RIFT WIDENING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20915, 15 October 1942, Page 3

RIFT WIDENING

AXIS PARTNERS ITALY GERMAN RESENTMENT (By Telegraph—Press Assn.-i-Copyright.) CIO a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 14. Rising feeling between Italy and Germany concerning Italy’s military failures is reported in despatches to The Times and the Daily Express. Herr Hitler is reported to have told Signor Mussolini that Germany would soon occupy all Croatia and the adjoining territory southwards 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 vei;y strong opposition and the dispute led to a postponement ot the projected meeting between Herr Hitler and Signor 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 being an asset, have been a hindrance and nuisance. Italian Garrison Mutinies

The Germans have again begun to rub in the Italians’ 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 have been better used in Russia. The Germans say that even the Rumanians revealed themselves better soldiers than the Italians who are not even able to deal with General 'Mikhailovitch’s patriots. Alarming reports of unrest and mutiny among the Italian garrison in Greece caused Signor Mussolini recently to visit Athens, says the Cairo correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. Troops for months past have been displaying an increasing reluctance to be drafted from the comparatively easygoing garrison duty to the uninviting Western Desert.

A large part of a regiment recently blew up a ship at the quayside at Keradzini, near Piraeus, which was waiting to embark them. Two hundred of the ringleaders were manacled in groups of four and marched to a concentration camp through Athens. The population turned out and cheered. ...