Evening star., 1940-05-31
Decisive Action Seen
Al Cabinet Meetinq
Next tuesday
British and French
Activity in Greece
May Set Army Moving
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ROME, May 31-Italians close to
the government said today that any
announcement of Italys entrance
into the European war probably
would come only after the Italian
forces already had moved and that
the world probably would learn of
the first actions from points outside
Italy.
Widespread belief that italian
participation was imminent came
from Premier Mussolini's call for a
cabinet meeting next Tuesday to
discuss important matters"
Italian journalists are leaving
Paris today, a spokesman for the
French Ministry of Information
said. He added that, although this
did not mean inevitable war
with Italy, it was possible the
Italians would enter the fight
within the next 10 days.
Fascist practice has been to di-
vulge momentous decisions after
they have been taken through the
Fascist Grand Council which in
cludes most of the cabinet. There
has been no announcement, how
ever, of summons for a council
meeting.
Greece Assured of Protection.
Italy assured Greece five days ago
that her neutrality would be safe
from any Italian attack, competent
source disclosed.
1talys assurance of her desire to
keep peace in the Balkans, however,
was understood reliably to depend
on the success of those states in
maintaining their neutrality against
the Allies, who have been accused
OF seeking to spread the war there.
Fascist authorities, keeping their
plans secret, closely watched British
and French activity in Greece where,
they said, an Allied move toward
Salonika would bring an immediate
Italian invasion of the Balkans.
One informant said Italy would re-
frain from taking the initiative
there, however.
Informed Fascists disclaimed
knowledge of the reported visit of
German Propaganda Minister Paul
Joseph Goebbels to Adolf Hitler's
headquarters which, Nazi source
in Berlin said, might be to prepare
for announcement of Italy's entry
into the war.
Sources close to the government
predicted it would come. as in the
Ethiopian war, only after Italian
forces already had moved.
Will Keep Pledges to Hitler.
Italians assumed that in replying
to President Roosevelt two weeks
ago Mussolini made plain his in
tention to carry out his pledges to
Hitler under the year-old German
italian military alliance.
II Duce's reply still is kept secret,
but Fascists said it undoubtedly con-
tained a frank statement of Italy S
position. They recalled that day
after it was sent Foreign Minister
Count Galeazzo Ciano announced
that Italy intends to keep faith
with her engagements"
a Fascist close to the government
expressed the opinion there was
little that America could do to in
fuence Italian policy at this stage OF
could only threaten to enter the war
if Italy intervened, and threats, he
added, are not likely to influence
Mussolini.
Recalling hints more than a year
ago of the possibility of American
help toward world economic read
justment, this Fascist said the Sit
uation has gone beyond the posi-
bility of such settlement
The Italian press gave prominence
to a statement by Hungarian For
eign Minister Count Stefan Csaky
as "a clear warning to the Balkan
states"
The statement, published in a
Budapest newspaper, declared that
the community of interests" among
Germany, Italy and Hungary, along
with the Hungarian Army, was the
basis for hope that peace can be
maintained in this European zone" !"
Newspaper posters screamed the
theme that English and French re-
sistance is doomed and that there
fore it is useless to think Italy
might desert Germany for the Allies
in the eleventh hour.
Citizens of Britain and France
pressed for exit visas.
Americans Rush Letters.
Americans whose duties kept them
In Italy hastily wrote letters home
which they believed might be the
last to 60 by boat before this nation
is cut off by sea from the United
States.
Word that the United States liner
Washington would not come to Italy
but would embark Americans at
Bordeaux, France, brought general
belief that the United States liners
Manhattan and President Harrison
would be the last boats to America
before war breaks here.
The entire student body of the
North American College, consisting
of 106 student priests, was included
in the passenger lists of the Man.
haitian and President Harrison. The
group will be in charge of Msgr.
Allen j. Babcock of Ann Arbor,
Mich, vice rector of the college,
Its rector, Bishop Ralph Leo Hayes,
Is remaining to wind up the affairs
Of the college.
Precautions were taken to safe
guard colonial frontiers against
counter-attack if and when the ma
ton goes to war beside Germany
against the British and French in
the Mediterranean.
Protection against air raids was
tested in Gimma, capital of the
Ethiopian province of Gallasidama,
and the provincial governor, Pietro
Gazzera reviewed Italian troops.
Iron is being made from sand in a