Duce Tells His Troops to Be Ready for Instant Call to Arms.
MOBILIZES SUBMARINES
Sends Warships Speeding to ‘Maneuvers’ at Suez Canal.
By United Press
WITH THE ITALIAN ARMY, BOLANZO, Aug. 31.—Italy’s reply to threats of the world will be to bring to the highest decree of power all the armed forces of the nation, Benito Mussolini roared to 140,000 soldiers of his maneuvering army today.
“The world must know once again that while there is talk so absurd and provocative of penalties (sanctions), we will not give up a single soldier, a single sailor, a single aviator,” Il Duce cried to his men.
He spoke from the heights of Mt. Ronzone, with the soldiers ranged along the slopes of the hill. King Victor Emmanuel stood by his side.
As he shouted defiance to the world, the chief of staff of his army was on the way to France on a sudden mystery visit to the chief of the French general staff.
Submarines Are Mobilized
All the submarines in his navy was assembling off Sicily, ready for maneuvers that would put a deadly line of the torpedo craft across the Mediterranean from Sicily to Africa.
Airplanes were flying to Sicilian airdromes and coast defense batteries were being hurriedly strengthened.
Mussolini reminded his men of his recent announcement that the army would be brought to a total of 1,000,000 man by Oct. 1, with the calling out of 200,000 more men.
“In other times after maneuvers, you would have been free. But not so this year! During September an additional 200.000 men will fill your ranks to bring the army up to the previously planned level—namely 1,000.000 men.
Salute Given to King
“I am sure that if tomorrow the Fatherland calls upon you to solve more difficult problems (than those in the maneuvers) you will do so with courage, resolution and daring to the last.”
Mussolini expressed King Victor Emmanuel’s satisfaction with the maneuvers and concluded his speech by calling for a salute for the king. The troops, drawn up on a front more than a mile and half long, responded magnificently.
Prior to his speech, Mussolini mobilized his submarine fleet and an airplane force for the maneuvers that will cut the Mediterranean sea in two.
With British warships steaming eastward toward the Suez Canal on similar “maneuvers,” the electric tension gripping Europe was increased.
Whole Nation Is Ready
Fascist Italy is mobilized economically, financially, militarily, navally, aerially. Mussolini has left no doubt that he, at least, among Europe’s leaders, is prepared for anything.
He sent Marshal Pierto Badoglio, chief of the army general staff, suddenly to France last night. Politically the dispatch of Marshal Badoglio to France might prove of equal importance with the submarine order. Gen. Maurice Gamelin, the French army chief, visited Rome recently and concluded an agreement for French-Italian army co-operation.
Italy’s entire submarine fleet, roughly 60 ships, was said authoritatively to be involved in the “maneuver” mobilization order. The submarines will maneuver on a line from southern Sicily, close to Malta, the British Mediterranean naval base, and on to Italian Libya, a distance of about 300 miles.
The Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, IN, August 31, 1935