The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-05
U. S. ORDER TO
HUSH IS SENT
TO VANDERBILT
Writer Requested to Keep
Silence Until Trial of
General Butler.
PUBLICITY TO BE GIVEN
Publisher Who Received
Letter To Call Hero a
Fool in Magazine.
BY LEICESTER WAGNER
United Press STAFF Correspondent
fConvrirhk. 1a31 hv United Pressl

Copyright. 1891. by United Press)
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 5.-A long
distance telephone call to Corne-
hus Vanderbilt Jr. in Phoenix was
made by the state department at
Washington, on the heels of pub
lication of an exclusive United
Press dispatch that the former pun-
Usher was the civilian involved in
the Mussolini- Butler affair.
Vanderbilt, it was learned here
today, was requested to reveal no
further facts until the court-mar-
tial of General Smedley d. Butler
He already had identified himself
as the source of Buffers informa-
ton to the effect that Premier
MusSolini, motoring in Italy with
an American companion, had run
over and killed small child.
General Butler has been ordered
held for court-martial as a result
of including this assertion in a.
recent public speech, and the United
States has apologized formally to
italy.
Denied by Mussolini
Mus5olini denied the incident
vigorously and said that he never
had had an American as his guest
on motor tour, nor had his car
ever killed a child.
VAN erbilt Wednesday was
identified as the companion of Mus
solini in a letter he wrote Rob Wag-
ner, nationally known magazine
writer and publisher.
Wagner, who exhibited the letter
TO the United Press under con-
dition that certain condolences not
be violated, will comment upon it in
an article to appear in his weekly
magazine, Rob Wagner's Script"
Friday.
Vanderbilt, the letter stated, was
riding with Mussolini when the in
ctdent occurred which formed the
basis for General Buffers recent as
sertions that after the child was
struck down. Mussolini drove on
with the comment: "What is one
life in the affairs OF State?"
UphOlds Butler Story
The former publisher in the main
upheld General Buffers assertions,
but made no reference to the al
legged remark about zone life" He
also declared that there were ex-
tenuating circumstances.
THE story Mr.. Vanderbilt told
and we know it perfectly-was at
meeting of lecture Bureau heads,
where everybody was sworn to
secrecy. General Butler told sew
eral very confidential stories of his
own; so did another lecturer" The
Scripts will say in part.
Mr.. Vanderbilt did not spill that
hit-run story" the article will say.
General Butler was the offender,
and when he spilled it he not only
spille dit wrong, but violated his
honor in the spilling.
Calls Butler Fool"
After the story had been told so
confidentially, General Butler was
the first to congratulate Mr.. Wander
bilt and to thank him for his trust
in hinl-General Butler.
Butler was fool-if not worse
in having told that story.
IF the court martial fellows are
witless enough to open up the whole
works, and if MIR. Vanderbilt is COM
PEELED to tell the true story of his
MuSsolini interview and collateral in
cidents, am inclined to believe he
will start bunch of international
fireworks that will make the So
called hit-run incident look like a
squib,'