Italy On Brink Of War?

Northern Advocate, 7 June 1940, Page 5

Italy On Brink Of War?

(Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, June 6. The British United Press correspondent at Rome says Fascists report that orders have been quietly given for all branches of the Fascist Party to be ready to don uinforms for a mass meeting, at the Palazzo Venezia, to hear Signor Mussolini announce a declaration of war. lit is added that the meeting will probably be called at a moment’s notice to avoid giving a warning to the enemy. The Italian Press is making a spirited anti-Allied campaign, with bitter’ accounts of the sufferings of Italian cafe and hotel proprietors in England under the recent orders banning aliens from the coastal areas. The steamship services between Malta and Syracuse, in Southern Sicily, have been suspended. The Vatican prepared a complete blackout, clearing the vaults of the 15th century tower of Pope Nicholas V. as a shelter, and arranging a . strongroom in the tower for church treasures. Minefields? The Italian Government has declared a 12-mile danger zone for all ships along the coasts of Italy, Albania and the Italian colonies, says a message from Rome. Ships must obtain authorisation from Italian consular or military authorities to approach the coasts, and ships failing to comply will do so at their own risk. This action is interpreted in London to indicate the laying of minefields in Italian territorial waters. The Pope is reported to have sent a message to Mussolini expressing the hope that Italy will remain aloof from the war. It is announced that the sounding of sirens at midday, which hitherto has been only a time signal, is henceforth to mean an actual air-raid warning. except on Sundays, when the system will be tested. It is reported from Panama City that the Italian Liner, Count Do Biancamano (24.000 tons) has been ordered to remain at Balboa indefinitely.