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the situation here and its dangerous possibilities especially during the   
winter to come. From my own knowledge in years past this country has been,   
beginning with the Ethiopian campaign, living under continual decreased   
rations to an extent that the needs of the Italian Army and the food   
production which has been constantly and increasingly taken away from the   
country to Germany has resulted in a very definite lowering of vitality of   
the whole population that recently reached its lowest point with the   
invasion by the Allies. That invasion has accentuated these conditions   
becausex of the interruption of transport, the destruction of property and   
a definite reduction in production. General Wilson and General O'Dwyer are   
of the same opinion that the crisis in this situation will come about   
December or January of this winter and if it is not then relieved the fate   
of large numbers of this undernourished and weakened population will be,   
as they express it, tragic. General O'Dwyer is the first one with whom I   
have talked who seems to comprehend the whole picture especially in   
respect to the liberated portions of Italy not primarily under Army   
jurisdiction. But as the lines move farther north and the burden of supply   
falls upon the economic agencies rather than the Army the problem becomes   
                  increasingly difficult.                   
 
                                                            
 
 
 In my own opinion this is the first of the conquered countries in   
which our professions of helpfulness to 'the civil population is   
undergoing a severe test. General Wilson and General O'Dwyer and I are of   
one mind, that we cannot afford to make a failure of this Italian   
enterprise. Assuming that you will arrange to have General O'Dwyer   
recalled for consultation for a few days before returning here where he is   
very much needed, I believe you will be put in the position of having a   
dependable impression of this situation. I am brought into this situation   
because of my association with American Relief for Italy and because of my   
regard for yourself and for our country. I believe that there are too many   
agencies between the War Department and the ultimate beneficiary of relief   
to operate with the greatest efficiency. My own opinion is that the Army   
should become increasingly active in this field because the supplies in a   
large sense have to move through its hands and facilities, that it should   
associate with itself the local agencies which I have been instrumental   
in bringing together with respect to American Relief for Italy, namely the   
Italian Government, the Italian Red Cross, the Catholic Church and a   
representative of the central labor party in Italy, but the Army with   
                            its