The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-07-28

escaped to the safety of the vati.
can, where Ciano Is italian ambas.
sador. Mussolini's wife and younger
children were said to be confined X
his private residence, villa Torlonia
under heavy guard.
Every report reaching London In
dicated that the Italians were striv-
ing TO wipe out the last vestiges Of
the Fascism that had enslaved them
Tor more than 20 years. but 1t was
recognized that the italian propa-
ganda machine might be spreading
these stories in an attempt to make
favorable impression on the Allies
In advance Of any peace negotia-
lions.
A Swiss broadcast quoted travel
1ers from italy as reporting pitched
battles between Fascist Blackshirts
and regular army troops in the
northern industrial center of Milan.
The Fascists were said to have
barricaded themselves in several
party buildings and refused de-
mands for their surrender, but fin
ally were driven out Of all but one,
on Via Plinio. following gun battles.
The Swiss broadcast said disturb
ances also broke out in Turin and
Genoa and other towns, particular
ly in northern Italy, but generally
the army had the situation under
complete control,
Four Fascists Fall
The Milan newspaper, Corriere
Della Sera, which has been taken
over by the Badoglio government,
said four Fascists had been killed
and Is wounded in unspecified in
cidents in Milan, Bern dispatch
reported.
Anti-Fascist demonstrations. &C
cording to the newspaper. looted
and set fire to the headquarters of
the Fascist university group Guf in
Milan and renamed streets, even
including one which bore the name
of their king.
A number of left-wing orators, in
Guiding Girogio Amendola. son OF
the Socialist martyr, Giovanni,
whose death has been attributed to
the Fascist party Secretary Carlo
Scorza. spoke in Milan's principal
squares during manifestations"
the CoYriere Della Sera sad. Amen
dola called for immediate liberation
Of political prisoners and punish
ment of Fascist leaders.
The Italian underground station
Italia ADMITTEDLY forward!--was
heard broadcasting that one Bevi-
lacqua, very well known Fascist,
had been assassinated by Italian
patriots at Turin. Gino Testoni,
Fascist from Parma, also had been
killed, the station said.
Violent Clashes
The station charged that the Ger
mans have occupied the Albanian
ports of Durazzo and Valona. after
violent clashes with italian troops,
in a move to forestall Italian evac-
uation of the Balkans.
It asserted that German Marshal
Albert Kesselring, German COM
mander in Italy, had ordered the
destruction of war stores and in
stallations in localities likely to be
abandoned in Italy as well as the
kidnapping of Italian officers known
to be anti-German.
Badoglio was described by the sta
ton as a hater of Fascism and Ger
many and a 100 per cent supporter
Of the United Nations.
Neutral sources in Madrid said
that Pope Plus XII was straining
to arrange peace between Italy and
the Allies with Harold T1ttman,
American charge d'affaircs at the
Vatican, taking an active part in
negotiations.
The main obstacle to quick
agreement, Madrid said, was Bado-
9lio's hesitation to make peace un-
til no is sure that Germany will be
too weak to turn her army and air
force against her ally.