Aprit 21.
Early last week it was reported that the Pope had addressed a formal appeal to the Yugoslav Government asking that Rome should be spared from bombing. If the Yugoslav Government ever gave any reply to that request its nature has not been revealed, but it is comforting to note that the British Government has told Rome exactly where it stands in this matter of bombing, and that if either Athens or Cairo are bombed, whether by Italians or Germans, Rome also shall suf-for, though the greatest care would be taken to avoid damage to the Vatican City. A demand for the bombing of Rome has been made lin many quarters in Britain of recent weeks, and in answer to a question in the House of Commons, Sir Archibald Sinclair, Secretary of State for Air, stated that the Italian capital had not yet been bombed, but that it did in fact contain military objectives which would justify such an attack, The latter halt of that reply has been apparent throughout the war, Any city, or that part of it which /houses the Government of an enemy country is in fact a true military objective, and Great Britain would be acting perfectly correctly if she decided to attack the governmental centres in Rome, Obviously what Mussolini is doing at the present time is to conduct his war from behind the skirts of the Papacy, for it is the Vatican and its incorporation into Rome which up to the present has given that immunity from attack which he enjoys. One of the best means of ensuring the safety of the ancient monuments of Rome would have been for the Italia Government {o have temporarily evacuated the capital, but the advantages of close prox-unity to the Vatican are so apparent that Mussolini cannot be expected voluntarily to relinquish them. Those advantages are now clearly stated to be conditional. If either the Germans or the Italians strike at Athens, or Cairo, Rome must pay the penalty, The British Government has, simultaneously with the announcement of its decision in this matter, revealed an ingenious scheme on the part of the Ialian Government to drop captured British bombs on the Vatican in the event of a raid on Rome, Quite obviously the bombing of the Vatican City would have severe repercussions throughout the whole of the Roman Catholic world, most of which would be extremely painful. Here, then, is a pretty ploce of blackmail on the part of the Italian Government to secure its own safety, Should secular Rome be bombed, Mussolini will bomb the Vatican with British bombs in an endeavour to persuade the world that the British are making war on Roman Catholicism. The fact is that the Holy City is being used as a pawn by Mussolini to secure protection for himself and his Government which in other circumstances they would not have, Exposure of the scheme at this juncture should serve to discount its effectiveness, should attacks on Athens and Cairo lead to the British, taking retaliatory action which has now been promised, and prevent the story which Mussolini contemplates putting about gaining that credence which it stood in good chance of obtaining had the British Government not made its discovery when it did. It is better to expose a possible lie beforehand than to have to depend upon denials after the event.
The terms of the British threat in. this connection are representative of the forcefulness and courage of the. Prime Ministe1 He threatens no halt measures. Should the conduct of the enemy oblige the British alr
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.