-2- #669, from London.                   
 
                                                            
 
 
Divisions under Field Marshal Alexander's command, and still 
      more if the whole area of the Mediterranean is included, outnumber 
      three-fold those of the United States. There is battle along 
      the whole front in Italy, and behind the front, in the hard-stricken 
      peninsula, are many economic and political difficulties. The 
      old structure, with its hateful rigors has been destroyed, and 
      in its place we have had to raise a government of improvisation. 
      We have the Bonomi Government, which has been trying to do its 
      best under extraordinary difficulties, but which of course has 
      no electoral authority behind it. But now, at any time perhaps 
      in a few months, perhaps much sooner--, for no one can tell what 
      is proceeding in the minds of the German war leaders--The Germans 
      will be driven out of Italy, or will perhaps withdraw; and immediately 
      the great populous districts of the north, the cities of Turin, 
      Milan, and other centers of industry and activity and a large 
      population of all kinds of political views but containing great 
      numbers of vehement, or violent politicians, and in touch with 
      brave men, who have been fighting and maintaining a guerrilla 
      warfare in the Alps, all these will be thrown--probably at a 
      time when the northern regions have been stripped bare of food 
      by the retreating