Evening star., 1940-06-09
Fasciss Threaten to Reprisa for Each City Bombed
Observers in Rome
Expect Il Duce 10
Enter War This Week
Speculation Upon Move
Ranges From Tomorrow
Morning to Friday
Ev the Associated Press.

OOAllDCo AVA ONCAy Clly AZ
tackled by Allied bombers in the
event Italy enters the war was pub
lished today by the Rome newspaper
II Giornale d'Italia just while for
eign observers were expressing belief
Italy would enter the conflict next
week.
II Giornale d'Italia's editor is Vir-
ginio Gayda. long recognized as
Premier Mussolini's editorial mouth
piece
Reports have circulated here that
the British and French plan to
lombard Italian centers If this
nation entered the war against
them.
To these reports the authoritative
newspaper said:
For every italian city bombed
flve English cities would suffer the
same treatment"
Rome Considered Safe.
Bombardment of Rome would be
the signal for similar but greater
bombardment of London" the news
paper added.
However, Rome was considered
here to be fairly safe from attack,
with the Italians prepared to make
1t an open city by removing govern
ment offices, troops and aircraft.
Some observers heard that an
Italian attack on their first secret
objective would come in the early
hours next Monday but a source
considered reliable indicated it
probably would be later, possibly
Thursday or Friday night.
Although only Mussolini and pos
sibly his axis partner, Adolf Hit
ler are supposed to know the date
OF the expected entry into the war,
confidence that Italy has closed her
last week as acknowledgement ma
ton in this war was based on i'm
pressions in Italian circles as we'll
as war preparations which appear
to be complete.
Ships Kept in Neutral Ports.
The imminence of an Italian move
was indicated further by foreign
reports that italian ships are being
kept in neutral ports. Government
controlled newspapers substantiated
the reports by publishing them.
A competent source said Italian
ships would fail to make their sail
ings from Italian ports as scheduled
during the coming week.
italian air service to South
America was placed on basis OF
one round trip each month instead
of each week, presumably as war
precaution. Departures are to be
secret.
Italians took great notice of what
newspapers described as 'the grow
ing agitation for American inter-
vention" in the war. But Fascists
In government circles as well as
newspapers continued to scout the
idea that the United States would
be able to give Britain and France
effective aid in time.
ii Giornale Explains.
II Giornale dItalia sought to ex-
plain the declaration of its editor
that United States entry into the
war would give European powers the
right to intervene in American af-
fairs.
The newspaper declared the article
was not "provocation or threat"
toward the United States, explain
ing it meant to say that American
intervention in Europe would create
precedent which would justify the
turning of European powers against
America either at the present or IN
possible future conflicts"
A Fascist in position to express
the governments view volunteered
belief that the Germans would crack
the Weygand line in France within
few days and then would be ready
to attack London.
After the European continent
came under the control of Germany
and Italy, he said, there would be no
place for American troops to land.
In the midst of the war talk, Vati-
can authorities said Vatican City
would be closed to the public as
precaution except for Pope Plus
Wednesday audience.
On even Of Solemn Event"
Relazioni International, authoria-
tive Fascist weekly, declared the
Italians are on the even of solemn
event" which will be war of SUI
preme independence"
To inform foreigners, the weekly
said, six reasons why Italy is going
to war were given. They were:
/. Italy has followed peace pol
icy for l8 years seeking to balance
positions, shorten distances and
impose new, more humane political
formulas
2. France and England always
have opposed Mussolini's policies
g. When the italian people asked
for land to work they were offered
deserts"
4. "Everything Italian, in domes-
tic policy as we'll as in the interna
tional field. has been ostentatiously
undervalued by the French and
British"
5. Democratic Europe. which has
deprecated the italian people. can
only be fought. The Italian people
have reached the limit of their
patience. 4" !" This war must solve
territorial questions for the Italian
people which are Nice, Corsica,
Tunisia and Jibuti."
6. THE life of the Italian people
Is subject to French and English
control. Italy must insure her in
dependence on the sea-"
Fascist Official Called.
The Fascist party secretary, Ettore
Mutt, received call to arms to-
night and turned the party COM
mand over to a substitute.
Pietro Capoferri, 47-year-old par
ty organizer and member of the
Fascist Chamber, will I'LL in for
Mutt.
Similar arrangements were an
nounced for substitutes for six other