DROOPING SPIRITS
WEAKENING ITALIAN MORALE DUCE’S RECENT SPEECH. REACTION TO GERMAN GRIP. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. February 26. Reports arc accumulating of signs of weakening morale among the civilian population of Italy, which may account for the issue of a decree in Rome making provision for reinforcing the Italian public security policy by a further 3000 men. Signor Mussolini’s speech on'Sunday did little to cheer drooping spirits. "Silex.” writing in the "Deutsche Allgemeine Zoitung.” goes so far as to admit that events of the last few months have driven Italians to the | limits of their will-power. Italians' reaction to the increasing German grip on their country is yet to be revealed, but it is significant that, according to a Zurich report, leading Italian newspapers now make no secret of Italy’s increasing dependence on Germany. These papers find great encouragement in the announcement that Germant motorised troops are now concentrated in southern Italy. The "Frankfurter Zeitung" declares that this has aroused intense enthusiasm throughout Italy. A different impression has been created elsewhere.
The feature of Mussolini's speech which most impressed neutral countries is the frankness with which II Duce accepted his position of inferiority compared with Herr Hitler. It is remarkable, says the Swedish “Handels Tidning Sergerstedt.” how the Italian dictator stood in the shadow of his German companion. American Press reaction is practically unanimous in regarding the Axis junior partner as a pathetic figure, and there are satirical references in many editorials. Reports coming from the Italian frontier suggest that depression at Italy's military prospects has reached such a low ebb that women regard it as a matter for congratulation when they learn that their menfolk have become British prisoners, feeling assured they >.<,■lll at least be well treated Particularly humiliating has been the steady series of reversals suffered in Albania. According to the latest reports from Athens the number of Italian prisoners in Greek hands now exceeds 23,000.
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 February 1941, Page 5
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319DROOPING SPIRITS Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 February 1941, Page 5
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