ITALY’S FIGHTING POWER

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20492, 7 May 1938, Page 16 (Supplement)

ITALY’S FIGHTING POWER

Italy’s preparedness for war was the theme of a remarkable speech by Signor Mussolini In the Senate, at Rome, the subject before the Chamber being the Estimates for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. He was. he said, making his plans on the assumption of a “very quick war.” ‘The Army could mobilise 9,000.000 Italy already had the greatest submarine fleet In the world, and before 1941 would have eight battleships and a total naval tonnage of 700.000. The Air Force was one of the best In the world, with several thousand modern machines. Mediterranean bases had been fortified and enough oil stored for long operations. The general commissariat for war industries. Instituted in 1935. was superintending the night-and-day output of 37 0 auxiliary war factories, which employed more than 580.000 operatives. Turning to the air forro. h.p said that 50.000 men were building new aircraft. “fiur C 32.\* said the Puce. “have wrought more havoc ih Spanish skies than Curtis and Napier 'planes. Ttaly could raise between 20.000 and 30.000 pilots. If hostilities broke out. he. under the King, would be Supreme Commander of the Forces. Men for “Big Battalions” Within the current year Italy would have more than 44,000.000 inhabitants. In ten years she would reach 50,000,-

Mussolini Plans for " Quick War”

000 In the territory of the mother country alone. Wlhtout men there could be no battalions, and many men were needed to form the big battalions. | Calculating that 50 per cent, of the 9.000,000 they could mobilise were ! destined for service behind the lines, j there still remained between 4.000.000 j and 5,000.000 front-line fTchtcrp. | There were thousands of officers of | every rank who had led men Into battle ' —against, a warlike and cruel enemy , such as the Abyssinians—or In a war : of a typically. European character, like i the Spanish war. Referring to war in the air. he said: i “As regards active defence, we j must, count in the first place nn multiplied reprisals, on interceptors, where j they can be had. and nn the fire of ! artillery and machine - guns. “As for passive defence, the best : consists in thinning out from the great ; centres of population all those—and they are very many—who are not , strictly compelled to live there. “1 say here and now that all ihose who can organise their existence jn , the smaller cities, in the villages, and in the open country will do well not to wait until the 11th hour. | “To-morrow, if war came, there might be a bar on all movements which might obstruct mobilisation. So much the worse, in that case, for the improvident or the tardy." : The Senate created the new rank of ! Marshal of the Empire. The King and Signor Mussolini are the first appointments to the new dignity.

’WAIT TILL THE BABY GROWS UP’ While travelling through Alabama a young salesman was one day forced to dine at a farmhouse. Not being well satisfied with his meal of cornbread and white bacon, he asked if lie might have a glass of milk. “No.” replied his lmst. “Ah don't reckon you'll find any milk around here since the dog got lost.". “Since the dog got lost?” echoed the stranger. “What’s that got to do with it.?” “Why,” replied the farmer, “who do you-all reckon's goln’ to go an’ fetch the cow?”

NEAR ENOUGH Foreman: Got it right now, Bill? Bill: Near enough. Foreman: Near enough won't do; 1 want it right. Bill: Well, it's right then. Foreman: Oh, well, that's near enough. NO PLACE FOR HIM District Visitor to small boy' : Well, Johnnie, I suppose you'll be starting school next year? Johnnie: Oh, no, miss! What would I do In school? I can’t even read or write.