Evening star., 1940-05-12
Protest Is Reported
After Fascist Crowd
Attacks Diplomats
Controbond Control
Situation Is Called
More Serious

0N0utIOU - SUuISO
More Serious
1y the Associated Press.
ROME, May 11.-Amid mounting
Fascist feeling against Great Britain,
marked by anti-British posters and
. slugging incident, Pope Plus XII
sent his blessing from the Vatican
today to Germany's newest enemies,
with prayers for their victory.
Messages to the Catholic rulers of
Belgium and Luxembourg and to
Protestant Queen Wilhelmina of
Holland, whose countries had been
attacked against their will and
right" told Of the Pope's prayers
for their liberation.
Sir Percy Lorraine, the British
Ambassador, was said in reliable
quarters to have protested to Italian
authorities against both a swarm of
posters which sought to impress
Italians with the German Army's
superiority, and a reported assault
upon two British diplomats last
night.
The Italians counter balanced this
with an intensified campaign against
the vexations Of the allied contra
band control of their sea commerce.
Premier Mussolini apIgauded in the
Senate when Admiral Domenico
Cavagnari, undersecretary of the
navy, declared the disturbance" of
Italy's shipping must change"
Control ''More vexatious."
Luca Pietromarchi, chief of the
economic war" ONCE of the foreign
ministry, reported to II Duce that
the allied contraband control was
becoming lever more vexatious," and
called attention to the seriousness
Of the situation"
Italian newspapers and radio made
no mention of the Pope's messages,
which were made public after the
Pontiff had received succession of
diplomats, including Myron c. Tay-
1or, President Roosevelt's personal
representative to the Vatican, In
private audiences.
Admiral Cavagnari declared in
his 5.000-word report that a total Of
s57 italian ships had been halted
and taken to control points, and
some of them detained for months.
while the long delays at first
were supposed to have been caused
by the imperfect organization Of
the control system" the report
said, "perpetuation Of such system
caused it to be considered a meas
ure Of reprisal for motives whose
nature cannot always be seen."
Correspondents Involved.
Two American newspaper cor
respondents, John Whitaker, Rome
representative of the Chicago Daily
News, and Miss Virginia Cowles,
whose articfes'aN syndicated bythe
North American Newspaper ALI
. ance, were involved in the incident
In which two British diplomats
were roughed-up by a crowd Of
Angry Bfackslfirtts4a ---saas-.-
Mr.. Whitaker and Miss CowleS
had been dinner guests of George
La Bouchere, secretary of the Brit
ish Embassy, and Comdr. Rodd, as
sistant naval attache, and were
being escorted home when the at
tack occurred.
One version was that the party
incurred the wrath of the Black
shirts by attempting to remove
poster to keep as a souvenir. Another
report said the party merely was
reading the poster when seven men
attacked the three men without
warning and slugged them. Miss
Cowles was pushed around, but
not struck.
= Britons Telephone Minister.
The Britons then telephoned
British Minister Sir Noel Charles
Britain maintains both an am
bassador and minister in Rome
and he hurried to the scene.
Sir Noel arrived and hailed two
passing policemen, but witnesses
said they refused to intervene.
Eventually the police chief appeared
and escorted the foreigners to their
two cars, which they found covered
with posters. Sir Noel insisted they
be removed, and the police chief
complied.
Only Mr.. La Bouchere was in
5ured. He received slight marks
on the face. Both British and
italian circles described the incident
Is "regrettable." Authorities of
both nations declined to comment.
The shipping situation in the
Mediterranean still was confused.
British merchantmen continued to
call at italian ports, but it was not
known whether they were using
the Mediterranean for through trips
to the East.
Gayda Sees Uncertainty.
The authoritative Virginio Gayda
OF II Giornale DItalia appeared less
sure Of the superiority of Germany's
forces than other Fascist commen-
tators. He said he would not hasten
to say when this new phase in
the war would be decisive"
"The British and French forces
still are imposing and mainly in
tact" he said.
Pietromarchi told the Senate that
contraband control damage to
italian commerce amounted to one
billion lire ($20, ,00o, ,00O. He charged
the prize courts with applying
jurisprudence going back to sail
Ing ship days"
Citing British insistence that
clippers, to get their vessels re-
leased. must renounce claims for
damages and agree to pay Britain