Evening star., 1940-05-30
STAR, WASHINGTON D. c. THURSDAY MAY 80 1eo
Musso|ini's S Cabinet
Will Meet Tuesday:;.
War Rumors Rise
Reminder by Press Of
Session increases
Speculation

BY the Associated Press.
ROME, May 3O.-Premier Musso-
lini has summoned his cabinet for
next Tuesday to discuss important
matters" and some foreign quarters
believed action might be taken then
to plunge Italy into war.
The possibility that war decision
might be announced that day or
shortly afterward, however, was only
matter of conjecture.
The cabinet decided on the June
4 meeting when 1t last met, May /,
but publication today by most news
papers Of reminder that the meet
ing had been arranged was consid-
cred an indication that the session
would be highly important.
At the same time, the press pub
lished warning against speculative
rumors in the stock exchange, deny
ing a rumor the exchange would be
closed or moratorium declared at
the first shock of Italian entrance
into the war.
Instructions to Americans.
United States consular officials
received instructions to advise Amer
leans seeking to leave Italy but un-
able to get accommodations on the
United States liner Manhattan to
60 to Bordeaux, France, and board
the liner Washington.
Fascist italy worked feverishly
preparing for the moment to which
Mussolini has been looking forward
for nearly two decades-when the
nation should 60 to war for her
Inspirations"
Part Of the Fascist preparations
centered on perfecting what spokes-
men refer to as the third line OF
defense" consisting Of an estimated
10000, 600 women and minors who
would have non-combatant roles in
wartime.
Volunteers Trained.
An announcement said 27,0OO VOL
unteers were being trained to take
over various jobs left by men called
to arms, $4,000 in special industrial
jobs, 5000 minors who will be en-
ployed on railways and 10000 women
being trained for numerous other
positions.
Volunteers in Rome continued to
ofer their services for a parachute
corps, following the lead of Padua
and Trieste workers.
Observers believed the first Ital-
ian war blow on the side of Germany
might be struck southwark in the
Mediterranean Sea rather than di-
rectly at France.
(Under the Allied Turkish al
lance, Turkey-guardian of the
Dardanelles-is pledged to enter
the war as an ally of Britain and
France in the event of an act of
aggression leading to war in the
Mediterranean area.")
Latest Italian press outbursts
against France and England have
mentioned Nice, Corsica, Tunisia,
Egypt, Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus and
| even the Dardanelles as among
Italy's aspirations
| YugOSlaVla ana Greece Uneasy.
At the same time the recent visit
OF Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo
Ciano to Italian-occupied Albania
has caused uneasiness in Yugosla-
via and Greece.
Nicola Marchitto, writing in the
semi-monthly political review Con-
quista d'Imperio Conquest of En-
pire). asserted that Italy's offensive
objectives" would be actions by the
navy and air force in the Mediter-
ranean and land war in Africa to
conquer the British French con-
trolled Suez Canal, and eventually
| in the Balkans.
Military experts said such a plan
of campaign fitted in with Italy's
| failure to mass troops on the Ital-
ian mainland.
However, the mainland army was
believed being strengthened steadily
by recalling of various classes of re-
servists. This system has made i'm
possible any accurate estimate of
the number of men under arms. but
competent observers guessed it
might approach 100000.