LATE NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24716, 19 September 1941, Page 6

LATE NEWS

GLOOM IN ITALY MUSSOLINI DISAPPOINTED NEW YORK, Sept. 17. Highly placed Americans returning home from Italy paint a gloomy picture of the conditions in Italy. They say that Mussolini is ill and disappointed and is reported to be living in semi-seclusion surrounded jby the Gestapo. Italian people are I openly saying they would prefer to become a British rather than a German colony. Italians are keen listeners to the 8.8. C., which gives them all the news. Their own stations dole out small inspired bulletins. Food is everywhere rationed, while clothing and shoes can hardly be purchased by the average peasant. FEDERAL PARLIAMENT 1 __ A “ MYSTERY ” QUESTION I CANBERRA, Sept. 18. The Opposition leader, Mr J. Curtin, asked a question in the House of Representatives yesterday which intrigued his fellow members and caused wide speculation again today with regal'd to what lies behind the “ mystery ” question, which, inter alia, referred to “ a grave matter in relation to public administration.” Mr Fadden’s vague reply was that he had already set the essential machinery in motion. N It is understood that important developments are likely shortly. AMERICAN ISOIATIONISM PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR WAR WASHINGTON, Sept. 13. Mr Wendell Willkie declared that American isolationism during the past decade had been partly responsible for the war. “ Continued efforts to keep the United States out of the counsels of Europe and attempts to prevent all-out aid to Britain will eventually rebound against America,” he said.