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Show KTj JJ' D ft JEW PEARSON M iVt T mim m m lit xm'ttn 1 Washington, D. C. ASSIGNMENT IN SICILY Unsung U. S. heroes who contributed contrib-uted heavily to Mussolini's downfall down-fall were Italian-American boys smuggled Into Sicily several weeks before U. S. troops landed. How they got ashore must remain a military secret. But the fact that they got there is now recognized as a part of military operations, just as the advance landing of Lieut. Gen. Mark Clark in North Africa, carrying bags of U. S. gold. These Italian - Americans were especially trained in the dangerous, delicate job of winning over military mili-tary garrisons in advance of a landing land-ing force. In Sicily they had the advantage of speaking the language end being able to visit the homes of their relatives, few of whom loved Mussolini. From there they were able to work around to various military mili-tary leaders. It has long been known that Italian Ital-ian military leaders were of two types. One is the professional soldier sol-dier like Field Marshal Badoglio, who was in the army before Musso-lini's Musso-lini's time and has no love for the Fascists. Also he has no love for the Nazis, and so was not too difficult diffi-cult to win over to the Allied side. Other type of Italian military leaders lead-ers is the Fascist Blackshirt, who rose through favors from II Duce, but who usually is susceptible to ! coin of the realm. Presumably U. S. I advance scouts were supplied with what General Clark took with him in advance into North Africa. At any rate, expert advance work by patriotic Italian-Americans, plus the popularity of the United States in Sicily, contributed to one of the most bloodless landing expeditions in history. Also the psychological shock of the headlong U. S. rush through Sicily Sic-ily was what toppled Mussolini off his thorny throne. GEN. GIRAUD'S WATERLOO General Giraud was shown all the sights of Washington during his stay here, including the war department's depart-ment's massive Pentagon building, rated as the largest office building in the world. After the French commander had been led through the labyrinth of Pentagon corridors to General Staff headquarters, and later out into the sunlight, he was asked what be thought of the place. "Well," remarked General Giraud, Gi-raud, "I've escaped from two German Ger-man prisons, but I could never get out of this building." UNDER TWO FLAGS The chickens hatched when American Amer-ican ships were put under the Panamanian Pana-manian flag to avoid neutrality laws are now coming home to roost. As a result, the U. S. government now employs 16,000 seamen whom it pays in hard cash every month, but over whom it has no disciplinary control whatsoever. The seamen are working under the Panamanian flag, though actually they are American citizens. So when they get into brawls In American ports, they must answer to the Panamanian consul, though they are American citizens and draw American pay. Certain state department officials are urging that the problem be solved by transferring the ships back to U. S. registry. Note: At present, when one of these ships clears a U. S. port it must pay a $20 fee to the consul of Panama, in spite of the fact that the ship belongs to the U.S.A. AXIS DISTORTIONS The Axis radio is trying Jo scare up a war in South America. The Bolivian army, with Peru's support, according to the Axis, Is about to launch an attack on Chile to gain a port on the Pacific. Here Is the only grain of truth behind be-hind this propaganda: When Bolivian Bolivi-an President Penaranda returned to La Paz from his visit to th United States, he stated publicly that Bolivian Bo-livian aspirations for a seaport had never been abandoned, that when the opportune time arose Bolivia would assert that claim. Truth Is, however, that Penaranda had no such militant motive in mind. Furthermore, moderate elements in Chile assert they would be perfectly willing to discuss the 6aie of the port of Arica to Bolivia. If the Chilean moderates actually bring about negotiation for the sale of Arica, they will set a new high In good neighbor relations. It has not , been long since the territorial ambitions am-bitions of South American countries as In the case of Peru vs. Ecuador Ecua-dor and Bolivia vs. Paraguay have been settled by a resort to arms. CAPITAL CHAFF C When Augusto Rosso, former Italian ambassador In Washington, was transferred from Russia to be Italian ambassador to Turkey, the Nazis stopped his appointment. They said he was too pro-American. Rosso has an American wife, the former Mrs. Francis Bunker of Denver. C While the Italian nation was strictly rationed, Count and Countess Ciano added to their popularity in Rome by throwing elaborate parties. par-ties. Caviar, lobster and champagne featured the menu. |