MANY ARRESTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 May 1943, Page 4

MANY ARRESTS

OF ITALIAN ANTI-WAR . DEMONSTRATORS PEOPLE UTTERLY WEARY OF CONFLICT. ALLIED LEAFLETS GIVE PRACTICAL ADVICE. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day. 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, May 19. Many arrests have been made following on anti-war demonstrations in Italian cities, according to reports reaching Lisbon. The police are said to be keeping a careful watch fcr signs of unrest, and are assisted by German military authorities in civilian clothes. The Italians, with the last hope of victory gone, and in daily fear of invasion, are utterly war-weary. The authorities are “doctoring” private radio sets in Sicily and Sarciinia, so that it is only possible for the owners to listen to the Rome radio. Sets owned by people considered politically unreliable are being confiscated on the pretext that the Army needs them. . Reports continue to reach Zurich from. Italy of growing public bewilderment in face of the latest war developments. Anti-Fascists are still pinning their hopes on the Crown Prince Umberto assuming the Crown and leadership of the country. A Rome radio broadcast- today asked all Italians now abroad for business reasons to register immediately at their embassies and legations, and to give explicit reasons for their absence from Italy. The Rome radio describes a leaflet the R.A.F. has dropped over Rome. The back nage has a map with the caption: “The Allies will darken the sky over Italy,” showing cities which will be subject to Allied raids. FAIR WARNING GIVEN.

The leaflet reads: “The air and naval superiority of the Allies is overwhelming, and is still growing. Italians are doomed to destruction as long as a single German remains within the frontiers of their country. Our enormous forces are ready and only waiting for the order to march into Europe through Italy. We know the Italians want peace, but wanting is not enough. They must openly ask for it and show by popular demonstration where they stand. Then Italy will be subjected to incessant bombing and her industries will be systematically reduced.” Veering round from bombastic claims that invasion is impossible, the Italian Press, led by Gayda, has adopted a realistic view of the situation, says the “Evening Standard.” Gayda, in an article in the “Giornale D’ltalia,” says: “What are the terms Washington and London might be prepared to offer us in exchange for unconditional surrenedr? As we stand today, the alternative to further combat is national destruction, if not oblivion. Is it not better, therefore, to continue to fight a bit longer, despite the terroristic destruction of Italians towns and villages, if the end might be different?” Independent reports from well-in-formed Vatican sources mention an “ultimate demarche” by a high Vatican source to reach an acceptable compromise on the fate of the Mediterranean basin as it affects Italy. Reuter’s correspondent says Mussolini has called a meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee for Saturday. The committee is the real Italian Cabinet for dealing with anti-invasion measures.