SIGNS OF STRAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 June 1943, Page 4

SIGNS OF STRAIN

SHOWN IN BOTH GERMANY ■ & ITALY SPATE OF SPECULATION. I REGARDING ALLIED PLANS. (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, June 20. French, British and American authorities tn North Africa have categorically denied "highly imaginative rumours that Italian peace envoys have arrived in Africa. Hie British United Press correspondent at Algiers says Allied quarters seemed surprised that such “bazaar rumours” were taken seriously. Meanwhile the Italian and German public are being prepared psychologically for a new Allied blow. There are ample signs that both peoples are suffering acutely from the weapon which Hitler invented with the purpose—to quote one of his intimates “of screwing tension to a point where the whole world screams under the strain.” While the Allies are massincj their strength under a mask of laconic communiques, neutral correspondents in Axis capitals are sending out a spate of speculation. Internally, Italy obviously is in u considerable state of perturbation and the Germans are showing considerable 1 interest in Italian morale, with repeated newspaper assurances that Italy cannot make a separate peace because of her economic dependence on Germany. A Berne report says the morale of the Italian Army is deteriorating. Numerous cases of desertion are reported, particularly from Sicily and Sardinia. The Berlin correspondent of the “Basle Nachrichten” says German military quarters are now officially admitting that plans for a summer offensive against Russia have been abandoned and that the centre of gravity has been transferred to the south and west. The. “Volkischer Bcobachtcr” says the ‘•South-Eastern Wall” is ready to resist any attack against the Balkans. Strong formations of troops from Russia have reached the Balkans. FEARS REGARDING TURKEY. The Berlin correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper "Tidningen" says leading Berlin circles fear that certain “imponderable” factors may cause Turkey to abandon her neutrality. The German Press is alternately warning Turkey and giving her assurances of friendship. Whether the Germans have any direct reasons for these warnings must remain unsaid. Swedish newspapers state that Mussolini yesterday declared another six provinces war zones, under martial law, which extends the war zone right along the Adriatic coast. A Rome radio commentator today said: “The enemy is using stupid, dirty methods in carrying out a war of nerves against our morale. A subtle and dangerous Anglo-Saxon campaign, in thousands of direct and indirect ways, is penetrating and spreading like poison gas. We must control our nerves.” According to the Berlin radio, the

Italian High Command is offering rewards to Italian soldiers who discover parachutists and other enemy agents in Italian ports and cities. The rewards vary from £lO to £lOO. The Rome radio announced that Mussolini’s Cabinet had approved a measure enabling certain high officials to be retired, “thus making it possible to relieve from their duties leading personalities who, in view of the particular needs of the present moment, show themselves inadequate to exercise their functions.”

ITALIAN FEELING RISING AGAINST GERMANS. ALLIED' MEDITERRANEAN ACTIVITIES. (Received This Day, 1 p.m.) LONDON, June 20. The Vichy radio reports that the

Allies are dropping pamphlets on I Italian territory, inviting the popuI . lation to co-operate with them. The Stockholm correspondent of the “New York Times” says uncensored reports reaching Sweden from Rome indicate an increasing hostility on the part of the Italian population to Germans —partly militarists and partly evacuees from bombed German districts, who are thronging tne Italian towns. The correspondent adds that the Germans are so unpopular that,, because of the similarity in sound of the Swedish and Gorman languages, Swedish visitors to Rome prefer.. to speak English inipublic places, finding that' language less annoying to the Italian public. I The Paris radio reports that the Allies are turning Pantelleria into a significant base and that a ceaseless stream of shipping is plying between Pantelleria and North Africa. The Axis is keeping up continuous air attacks against the convoys. A report from La Linea states that twelve landing barges, larger than previously observed, arrived from Britain and passed through the straits en routeto Africa. A convoy of eighteen ships also entered the Mediterranean after crossing the Atlantic. Air activity at Gibraltar has increased.