BATTLE OF WITS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 July 1942, Page 4

BATTLE OF WITS

BETWEEN BERLIN & ROME OVER HITLER’S DEMAND FOR TROOPS. NEEDS IN RUSSIA & BALKANS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.37 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 “Standard’s” 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 are under orders to stress this excuse. The newspapers have suddenly been allowed to indulge in astonishingly frank descriptions of the Balkans cauldron. The general impression conveyed is Yugoslavia a battleground and that a large part of the Italian Army is there. Berlin has seen through the Italian game and #ie latest German countermove has been to issue, through the German Trans-ocean news agency, a report that Italy and Croatia have signed an agreement for the withdrawal of Italian troops from a great part of Croatia. Rome has completely ignored this report and there is not the slightest sign of a withdrawal of Italian troops. In fact it is the last thing the Italians would do. ALL YOUNG SERBS ORDERED TO MOBILISE. ATTEMPT TO KEEP THEM FROM REBEL FORCES. (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, July 22. The occupation authorities in Yugoslavia have ordered the mobilisation of all young Serbs within 24 hours. Yugoslav circles in London say this has been done to prevent them joining the iebel forces.