SWOOP ON ALIENS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 April 1942, Page 4

SWOOP ON ALIENS

ARRESTS IN QUEENSLAND. THOUSANDS OF ITALIANS. Preliminary steps to root out potential fifth columnists in Australia was taken by the internment of thousands of Italians. Action was taken mainly on the north Queensland canefields, where about 20,000 Italians are engaged in the sugar industry. Congregated in settlements —at Ingham there are 9000 Italians in a population of 12,000 —these settlers have never absorbed an Australian outlook. They speak Italian, read Italian newspapers, and exercise a strong influence in the business and municipal life of their districts. Local Britishers fear that they would not hesitate to help an invader. While a majority of the Italians would, no doubt, prefer to see international events pass them by, they have at the back of their minds that they need only hoist an Italian flag to gain immunity if invaders came —a kind Of “heads I win, tails you lose” attitude. Giving an instance of how Italians feel about the position, a spokesman foi' the Ingham branch of the Returned Soldiers’ League said: “An Australian neighbour asked a prosperous Italian cane farmer if he intended to evacuate The Italian replied: ‘No the Japs will not harm me. You have been a good neighbour. If there is an invasion come to my house and I will guarantee your safety.’ ” Australians in the nprth have long urged the Government to take action against aliens in Queensland, and they hope the round-up will be only the beginning of a move to break-up strong groups. They are also gratified by the decision to impose a curfew on enemy aliens in Queensland, requiring them to remain in their homes from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.