OCR Text |
Show bardment of Germany. This would' mean that Italian soil would be the scene of some fighting, perhaps, per-haps, as the Germans would probably prob-ably make a strenuous effort to prevent the allies from utilizing Italian airports. ITALIAN PROBLEM BEING DISCUSSED Having expressed the view that Italy is a liability and that it might be the best strategy not to accept any unconditional surrender sur-render which would entail the job of weeding 45,000,000 Italians, it is probably well to mention arguments argu-ments of the other side of the question involved. Italy was the birthplace of modern mod-ern Fascism. Its surrender would indicate the futility of Mussolini's system and serve notice upon the world that Hitlerism is unable to protect its friends. The damage to Axis morale would, no doubt, be irreparable. Italy's surrender would be a confession of the weakness of the Fascist government, and cause the withdrawal of Italian troops from the Balkans, thus placing another strain upon Germany's exhausted manpower reserves. It would have great effect in Hungary, Bulgaria and Rumania and open an easy way into the heart of the Balkan peninsula. The task of feeding 45,000,000 Italians would be onerous but, after some reflection, we must realize that this job will have to be assumed, sooner or later. If it comes now, following surrender, it will be no greater strain than if it comes later, after heavy fighting. fight-ing. There is the possibility that the surrender of Italy would give the United Nations sites for air bases with which to spread the bom- |