MAY BE ABANDONED TO ALLIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 August 1943, Page 4

MAY BE ABANDONED TO ALLIES

If Rome is Declared Open City CAPITAL AT PRESENT A MAIN COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE BETWEEN ARMIES IN SOUTH AND SUPPLY BASES (By Telegraph—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, August 15. The decision of the Italian Government to declare Rome an open city may mean that the Italians no longer intend to defend Southern Italy. The whole Axis campaign in the south will be hamstrung if Rome cannot be used as a main communication centre between Germany and Italy’s industrial areas in the north and the southern war areas. . A message from Madrid states that Germany is planning to establish a Fascist Government in Italy north of the River Po. “It is understood that nothing has been received in London so far from the Italian Government communicating a decision to declare Rome an open city,’’ says Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent. “Marshal Badoglio’s decision does not modify the status quo. Rome in any case will remain a military objective until Britain and America decide on what it any it could be admitted to be an open city, and ate satisned that the fulfilment of those conditions can and will be guaranteed. , While the Rome radio today warned Italians that tne Eadoglio Government’s decision could not be effective without Allied agreement, the Paris radio reported that the Italian Governmcnt had already made all necessary preparations for tne evacuation of military offices from Rome. The Rome radio broadcast emphasised that the Allies must be allowed to ascertain that measures to render Rome an open city were to be carried out according to international law, after which a bilateral open city declaration would be issued and all bombing attacks would be prohibited.