“AMGOT” AT WORK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 October 1943, Page 4

“AMGOT” AT WORK

BRITISH AND AMERICAN ORGANISATION CONTROL OF OCCUPIED TERRITORY. HIGH STANDARD OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY. Four million Sicilians are living contentedly today under the benevolent rule of “Amgot,” the joint AngloAmerican organisation whose full name is Allied Military Government, in Occupied Territories. They are finding it much better in every way than the hated Fascism, and apparently are in no hurry to see it replaced by any sort of permanent Italian regime. “Amgot” was planned at conferences in London and Washington many months before the Sicilian invasion. A school of military government was set up at Charlottesville, Virginia, an occupational military police school in Michigan, and a civil affairs centre at Wimbledon, near London. Here British and American officers, selected on account of their past civil and military experience, were trained for special jobs. Details of methods to be applied in Sicily and on the Italian mainland were worked in North Africa, where up-to-date information about internal conditions in- the two enemy countries was most readily obtainable. ANGLO-AMERICAN CONTROL. The ultimate control of “Amgot” in Sicily rests in a military governor, General Sir Harold Alexander. It is directed by Major-General Lord Rennell, of Rodd, who has had experience of governing nine British-occupied territories in the Middle East and Africa since 1939. His second-in-command is Brigadier-General Frank McSherry, United States Army. Throughout the administrative organisations British and American officers are intermingled in complete co-operation. Headquarters in Sicily consists of the following divisions, each of which controls, among others, the activities mentioned:—(l) Legal: Military courts other than courts-martial, and . civil courts. (2) Financial: Banks, insurance companies, customs and all the financial aspects of government. (3) Civil supply: Food, fuel, clothing, etc., for civilians, also labour, agriculture, fisheries, civilian transport and ration-, ing. (41 Public health. (5) Public safety: Civil police, prisons, fire services and civil defence.. (G) Public and enemy property administration. Industries owned by Allied capital before the war. TEMPORARY ORGANISATION. These divisions arc not responsible for any form of permanent social or economic reorganisation. No property of Italian nationals can be redistributed and no new taxes can be applied. Civil affairs officers are attached to the Allied fighting forces for liaison between the occupying troops and the civil population. Others are stationed as actual military administrators in each province and each city down to chose of approximately 12.000 inhabitants. Their orders are put into effect by local officials, who retain their offices on a basis of co-operation and good behaviour. For instance, the Carabinieri have been entrusted with civil police duties. \ EXAMPLE OF JUSTICE. Since its establishment in Sicily “Amgot” has abolished all traces of Fascist rule, found food for the population by many resourceful expedients, taken care of thousands of battlefield refugees, re-established markets, rounded up criminals who had broken out of gaols, and organised medical care for the population. General Rennell said recently: “People who have been kicked around want two things—food and law and order. ‘Amgot’ has given them both.” ’ Nothing could be further from German methods. What has been done in Sicily is not a complete pattern of organisation for all territory to be occupied in future, and variations will be made according to local needs. “Amgot” aims at a high standard of jus'ice and equity, and there is no doubt that the setting-up of a regime giving justice io the liberated 4.000,000 inhabitants of Sicily will place an example at the very doorstep of the European continent.