Nov. 6.
When Italy commenced her invasion of Greece, General Metaxas declared that Athens was an open city in the hope that this would persuade the Talians not to bomb it, The Malfans replied by stating that as the most civilized nation in the world—a nasty back-handed slap at the Nazis,—they had no intention of bombing Athens. On the authority of the German news agency, on Monday from 12.10 to 12.30 pin. an alr-raid alarm was sounded, when an Italian acroplane flow over the city and dropped several bombs. It is important to remember this in view of the fact that the enemy press have been making much of a statement, alleged to have been made by the British military attache at Berne, to the effect that Britain would not start bombing Rome until after the presidential elections in the United States. As the yank of the atiaché is stated by the news agency in question to be that of commander, which, of course, is naval, some doubt is to be felt as to whether the enemy Press knows what it is talking about.
Clearly the story has been given currency in the hope of disturbing the Catholic vote in the United States, and is happily not likely to succeed. There has been no confirmation up to the present that any such statement was in fact, made, nor any denial, "Not that that matters, for' even if the attache did make such a statement, it cannot be regard ed, as the Germans would like to have it, as an "authorized British military statement." 'AL the most. it is the expression of an in= Aividuat's opinion, and is in no way binding upon the British Government. But why all this bother about the possible bombing of the Italian capital? It is argued that it should be kept inviolate because it is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. There might be some worth in the contention, if Canterbury and London important centres: of the Church of England had not been subjected {o bombardment, if St, Paul's and Westminster had been spared the attentions of the enemy bombers, for they are just as sacred {0 Britons as Rome may be to the Roman Catholics.
Now Tialy has bombed Athens containing historic monuments of the great civilization which found its roots in that venerable city. If the Greeks or the British retaliated who fs {0 enst reproach upon them? The fact of the matter is that Rome, being the centre of the Mahan Government, is as much a military objective as London, or Berlin, or, now, Athens, and Mussolini and his Govern: ment cannot expect to be allowed to hide chind the skirts of Mother Church as anparently they hone to continue being able to.
Duce would show greater gallantry if he vacated the Holy Elly for some other centre, but the sanctity of Rome has the great attrac tion of individual safety. In any event the Halians would have shown a reater degree of restraint if they had refrained from bombing Athens, which would have entitled some consideration on the subject of the safety of Rome. Incidentally it may be pointed out that, Ttalinn aeroplanes having joined the Germans in the raids over Britain, Taly has forfeited any claim {o consideration on the part of the British, There is no one of any decency of thought at all who docs not deplore the destruction of sacred phoes, or depositories of the art and culture of centuries, but that surely cannot mean that those places belong a nation which is actually engaged in doing that to others should xo seat free, With pressed with Lord Queenborough the September mess-aye of the Royal Society of St. Georae can the present question. "We can tolerate with patience the exten= ion of chivalrous, not to sey quixotic treatment towards enemy airmen. Sports~ manship" and sympathy, except for our own kith and kin, can have no place amens until the war is over and won." If there is 1 military end to be served by the bombordment of Tome, only the sickliest chivalry and quixotism can possibly object fo that end being obtained. Tf in the process damage is done {o the historic and religious parts of Rome, it. cannot but be regretted. Never= theless Rome has not yet been bombed: it may transpire that it never will be, but, if "Germany Ins established plenty of nee= cedent, and Taly docs nat appear to live een very be the grandiose despite elaine a8 to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.