IL Duce and the Throne

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 258, 30 October 1937, Page 5

IL Duce and the Throne

How Royal Opposition To Plans Was Cowed CROWN PRINCE’S STAND (World Copyright.) United Press Association—By Glectrlo Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Friday, 8.10 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 28. Giacomo Costa, a prominent Naples barrister, who escaped from Lampedusa prison on an island in tho Mediterranean, told the Daily Herald how Mussolini cowed opposition from the Italian Royal Family by a threat to bar Crown Prince. Umberto from the throne. King Victor Emmanuel’s opposition was based on army support, but collapsed years ago when several generals were dismissed. The Crown Prince, however, did not accept his father’s defeat and went to live in Naples. In order to mask his opposition to Fascism, ho moved freely among the workers. Finding the Abyssinian war unpopular with all classes, even among influential Fascisti, he tried to seize the opportunity to restore tho monarchy on a democratic basis, similar to England and Belgium. Crown Prince Umberto’s hopes were based oil tho belief that the world would not tolerate such an open breach of the League Covenant as the rape of Abyssinia. Mussolini’s popularity was waning and he did not dare take action against Crown Prince Umberto. However, vacillation on the part of the great Powers and military successes in Abyssinia strengthened the Duce and enabled him to draw up a constitutional amendment requiring the succession to the throne to be approved by the Fascist Grand Council. Crown Prince Umberto’s opposition collapsed and his supporters were arrested and exiled.