The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-09-13
MussoIini Is RumorCenter
Continued from Page D

l StraSSe in Berlin that MuSSoLinl was in "a completely safe place." It was said that he could be expected to influence formation of a new Fascist government although 1t was too early for developments in that dt- rection.
 One view was that Hitler had gone to great lengths to retrieve Mussolini in the fear that Il Duce's depressed and failing condition would prompt him to reveal many embarrassing political and military facts should he fall into Allied hands.
 A Swiss report that Mussolini had been rescued" by German para troopers from Palermo, Sicily, was discounted here. It was said au- thoritatively that he never had been in Allied hands.
 Vittorio In Germany
 (The Nazi-controlled Hilversum radio in Holland reported that Mus solinis son, Vittorio, had arrived in Germany also, U. s. government monitors said)
 The French newspaper Pepenhe Algerienne at Algiers said that King Victor Emmanuel and Premier Marshal Pietro Badoglio were be- lieved to be In Sicily but this was not confirmed by any other source. They also had been reported in southern Italy.
 The Dakaar radio said that there had been fresh outbreaks involving Italians and German troops in the Turin and Naples areas and quoted neutral" observers as saying that the internal situation in Italy rapid ly was approaching a state of civil war.
 The Swiss radio, recorded by the Exchange Telekraph Agency, stated that the Nazis were in control of northern Italy down to line run ming between La SpeZia to Ravenna The provinces of Tuscany ano Abruzzi-Molise, south of this line were said to be controlled by tht Italians.
 Germans in Como
 The Swiss reports said that the Germans had occupied Como last night. The Zurich correspondent of Exchange Telegraph said that several hundred NaZi Gestapo agents had arrived at Milan and Turin tc round up leaders of 5 political par ties and of trade unions for repor- tation to Germany. Serious Com- munist outbreaks were reported al those cities.
 CThe Moscow radio reported peace demonstrations in Rumania and Hungary when news of 1taly's capi- tulation was received, according tc CBS, and the British radio said there had been bitter fighting be- tween Italians and Germans at Du- razzo, Albania.)
 Increasing numbers of workers ir1 Milan, Turin and Genoa, as well as Rome itself, having taken to the sur. rounding hills after striking in de- fiance of Nazi threat of execution for all strikers, saboteurs, political demonstrators and persons attempt ing to communicate with Badoglio or the Allies.
 Marshal Albert Kesselring, Ger man commander for central ano southern Italy, announced in g Rome broadcast that he had de- clared martial law in areas under his jurisdiction.
 43 Warships Escaped
 The number of Italian warships revealed to have escaped the Ger mans after Italy'S equalization rose to 43 following the arrival at Malta of three more destroyers and an un- determined number of submarines from among her fleet of 60.
 Madrid reports said four of the 10 Italian naval units that reached the Spanish Balearic Islands hac scuttled themselves last night, but there was no immediate explanation of the reason.
 A Bern dispatch said Mussolin was believed to have been taken tC Fuchsl castle near Salzburg, the residence of Nazi Foreign Minister Joachim Won Ribbentrop. Londor sources theorized that the erstwhilt Il Duce was en route to Adoll Hitler's Berchtesgande for a confer ence, then would appear in German occupied northern Italy as head ol a new Fascist government.
 A special communique from Adoll Hitler's headquarters yesterday sait reports that German paratroops along with Gestapo agents and elit, storm troopers, carried out the ac' tion which freed Il Duce, who haS been imprisoner by a traitorou clique"
 Attempt Folled"
 'rhe intended delivering up of Duce to the Anglo o-Americans by tn Badoglio government thus has beer foiled," the conmunique said.
 There was no indication of thl place from which Mussolini wa Liberated" by the Germans. 1 broadcast by the unreliable Nag Paris radio said the Germans seisel Mussolini ct a small village nea Palermo on the north coast of 6i ely and flew him to the ftallai mainland. However. Palermo under Anglo American occupation troops and Hilier's eommuniqe spe officially implied that Muasolini haG been in Italian hands.
 Nc Confirmation Escape
 There stili was no Italian oT Al lied confirmation that MusscilH had escaped, but 6 communlqul was expected soon on the subject MuEsollni is high on Che list of va criminals wanted by the Allies fc nnstswnr trial.