PEACE MOVE?

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 126, 24 November 1942, Page 5

PEACE MOVE?

HIGH ITALIANS

MUSSOLINI AND CIANO QUARREL

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 23. The Italian Field-Marshal Badoglio recently headed a movement for a separate peace with the Allies, according to travellers reaching Ankara from Italy. It is reported that Field-Marshal Badoglio, as the head of the group of anti-Fascists, with the full knowledge of King Victor Emmanuel, the Crown Prince, and Count Ciano, Foreign Minister, approached the Vatican urging it to h Mate. Mussolini, hearing about the inuvement, violently quarrelled with Count Ciano. These events are believed to have been the background of the recent attacks against the Vatican by the party newspaper "Regima Fascista." A Zurich message says it is reliably reported from Rome that Mussolini is attempting to strengthen the Government in the event of total Allied occupation of North Africa. He made contact with the National Party leader, Dr. Federzoni, and the former Liberal Minister Dr. Vittorio Orlando, and also with some Catholics and former leaders of the Socialist Syndicalist movement, with a view to forming a national defence'1 Government. Admitting the inability of. the Italian army to protect the northern provinces [from British air raids, the Italian Propaganda Minister, Signor Pavolini. suggested in a broadcast that the inhabitants, of Genoa, Milan, and Turin Should evacuate their homes and seek asylum elsewhere, reports the Berne correspondent of the "New York Times." The Fascist Party is evacuating thousands of children, the correspondent adds, while hotels at vacation resorts have reopened and are receiving evacuees. Refugees are reported to be pouring southwards, jamming the roads. Travellers arriving at Berne declared that three-quarters of the population of Genoa have already fled from the city.