HOW
THE
T
THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1956.
WAS
BLIND MUSSOLINI!
twilight of the great dictators...
What a subject for a historian who can combine the qualities of scholarship the and
of sense 4 dramatle!
in For ordinary inst
those extra- months of their terrible careers the Fahrer and the Duce passed through vicissitudes which must Inspire a certain awe.
his
• The end WAS in sight yet he drove confidently to see the King and half-heartedly hand in resignation. He was astonished when the King accepted it with alacrity.
By ROBERT BLAKE
with the King,
that
grey wreak vengeance upon those of his enemies who were still with- lu his power.
if not pity, even among shadowy Bute whose sikon those of UN who regard irony led lung annoyed, but as must odious and never seriously incommoded, the
mountebank dictator. contemptible.
them
A modern Gibbon is needed to 31 do justice to such a theme
RESCUE
But the King's hour had comy
he uected with at last, and alacrity Mussolini's halt-offer of not resignation. Dazed ui this
the case of Hitler the need was met Mr Trevor-Roper described the German dictate's hurd and fantastic end in a munner
of the unworthy
English historians.
Realest
Валока
Mr Dombrowski's ulas, of a very different calibre
His style 13
Lukas!tion,
astonishing turn of events the Dice walked down the steps of 14, the palace
his waiting car, only to that his chauffeur
He his had mysteriously
vanished and Hy that he himself Was being and politely asked to go off in a Red he turns a drama of real life into Cross ambulance for the sake of something curknusly flat,
scholarship disappointing tells us little that is new.
TREACHERY
Mussolini's last moribs were Just as sensational as those of Hitler story rangely em- intrigue, treachery. pounded of revenge and death, reminiscent of a
a renaissance city state or of img-rial Rome rather than 20th. century Europe.
The Verona trial, that travesty of justice which resulted in the
his own
son-in- execution of
low, Clano, and of the aged Marshal De Bono for having voted with the majority at the Grand Counell, is the only event for which the Soclu Republic will be remembered in history.
For Mussell it was a time of weariness and futility. He seen- d utterly broken and behaved like ne in a dream,
only consolation
was the plot came his way
Hitler. "Now assassinate
The
humiliation
L
is well
nre
that
to
my
though there are many details
ended," he bia own safety
exclaimed with glee. "Now Pir the bext
werks Mussolin. Tex
The only ce Musulini, now a state prisoner, who has traitors." was moved from place to place,
The grim ending of the story on the tiran Susso,
al- ending
known in outline plateau 8,000 feet up in
the Apennines. where
rescue,
which still remain obscure. fight, were believed impossible.
Then, in September, cine yet brother turn to hide fortunes. Rescued by Captain Skorzeny, a famous evebrate Nazi comando, who
Grand landed
Mussolini in a glider. Rone was
laken promptly had been bombed, the Alles had Hitter. landed in Sicily.
begins with the meeting of the Fascist Council sa July 24, 1943
20 sce
MURDER
I clear that Mussolini and Clara Pefacel were murdered or executed by Communist par
Urans, but not so clear who gave the orders, Sull less clear the At this Mage
he would not exact fate of Mussolini's hoards On the morning of the meet- have been orry to retire tuto of bullion, the celebrated tren-
The ing the Duce told his
dust-jacket mistress, private life, but the Fuehrer, sure of Dong,
the book alleges Clara Place: I shall be strong after a long discourse outlining saf
that Mr Search "leads research and dominate the situation as the future map of Europe, made Dombrowski's
it clear that this would not do. 4 starthing speculation about its usual."
ultimate resting place," but reading we find that Mr Dom- browski is merely guessing, like everside rise
in Italy dor the past 10 yours, that the Com- munist Party has got hold of the treasure hurdly starting conclusion.
VENGEANCE
Yet when the meeting ended at 2 pm-ofter sme hours' dis- cussion-Count Grandi's hostile
Their followed the dim niter- resolution, calling spm the King
was hues of the Italian Set fe- full powers, to assume
publie the puppet curled by 10 wtes to 17.
state over Mussolini was strangely blind which for 18 months Mussolint to the significance of this wale feebly tuled from his capital on
still the shores of Lake Garda. drove
he Juri
The following after boot,
confident, serenely
He had little to do except to
himself the hot through
gainst Sly defend streets of Rome for an audience numerous intrigues, pkits
counter-plots of his Fasett sub- ordinatex.
• Mustutiei, Twilight and Full, by Momara
(Esneku,
2.J.
Dombrow
BT1
very
All in all, Me Dombrowski has It may missed a gat chance. the now
no longer be possible to and establish
about the full truth these events, but some of konst it should have been posal- ble to make a better story of what is already known.
But if he could no longer in- Bưence events he could at least
Quality
need not be expensive
at
2 asmen
Cummings
LOSED SHOPSY
SENDINGS_TO_COVENTRY
CONSCRIPTION
PROPERTY TAX
RATES
CRICHEL DOWN LAWS
INCOME
COMMENTARY ON DEVAN BY CUMMINGS
ORDERS
TAX
PURCHASE
COMPULSORY
"At least in Britain we have freedom of speech."
T
London Express Service
--
I
WOMEN SWEEP THE STREETS
IN BRITAIN'S BOOM TOWN
SAW
By PETER BLOXHAM
Scunthorpe, scouts are combing Britain for pockets of unemployed the notes in little
men they
into the
£4 10. bundles heaped town. car 1900
Anything
The opportunities? from £12, 12s. plus to £35 a
up behind the bar. I saw the steel workers rush in. I saw them each slap week. down a fiver for a pint.
Three thousand workers ina And those £4 10s, bundles it worth their while to travel 30
horpe.
were ready and waiting for miles à day to work in Scunt- their change.
wants to bo +
And nobody Nobody thought anything portman or a rallwayman there of it. Because this is any more. "Fivers
When they wanted a lavatory Town"-the fabu-
attendant just lately, they had lous prosperity-spot where to offer £8, 43. a week. stoel workers drive up start their shifts gleaming cars,
where I've Street,
branches watched
buying for space, shilling postal orders with five-pound notes.
women
are
to Women street sweepers in working now in the bitty High
brand. of giant stores jostle
The town where 11,000 steel-
men and Alvers crackling in their pay-packets every week.
where
SAVING MONEY
40W
New housing estates time nex month the Mayor
(some-
hopes to open the 5,000th coun- And the town where, oddly cll house) bristle
with
TV enough, there were 360 warrants aerials, the dealers' only worry Issued the other day for non- is that money can't lure enough payment of rates.
mechanics to service all the rets sold
But the vers aren't the only fantastic thing about Scunt-
Britain's "siccl Klon in Scunthorpe, they're säving it
horpe. dyke,"
JOBS OPEN
At this moment, Labour Ex-
But if they're spending money
veg:
"Small
savings Last year topped £1,300,000," the Savings Committee secretary told то tonight,
And those rates arrears? The Mayor shrugged them off. "Over wide-open 99 percent pay up regularly," ho
change manager Walter Furnest tells me, there are opportunities waiting for 751
said. "There are always the few ambillous men-300 of them in who get in a tight spot. It's not steel.
significant,"
But Scunthorpe hates being a called a boom town
Only four men out of population of 87,000 have been out of work for more than fortnight. And labour spotting
*
DON IDDON'S DIARY ⭑
THE BIG SPENDING
SPREE
New York, Tuesday The British crisis
IS OVER
come
11
the
kaz 10%
50
"Our prosperity is here stay. W
we have to work for our Avers.
There was a mild police com-
plaint, at Scunthorpe's licensing sexylons the other day, that too many people, dressed to look older, are haunting the town's public houses.
But quiz figures reveni after 10
that p.m. most young girls
are safely homes
"Where else can we go?" one
of them asked me.
"There isn't even
4 theatro
here yet and only two milk bars."
MANY strange stories have boon told of the behind-the- scenes drama of the Abdica- tion of King Edward VIII. Fow have been so bizarro as
out...
A KING'S
STRANGE ALLY
prisaner the chalce of death by "I find living in the Presiden- lots of fun and HE Battle of Britain United States was tubilant over
suddenly. Just when the hanging or shooting. Twenty- tial mansion
three States use electrocution. interesting. I spend most of my this time against British prosperity and the Ten Stales exceute with evenings reading and watching the one told in a book just inflation is being American Treasury was raking lethal
gils-ադը condemned television." આપ
Sho likes 40 of $138,000,000 man or woman sits in
chair
play followed closely by in the sun
£50,000,000-including and a pellet is dropped in a harmonica, and reveals, rather Americans. The British are almost
releases the astonishingly, that she some- expected to win as they did interest on our debt, there's this cylinder which joiting reverse.
poisonous gases, He or she is times plays "There'll Be a Hot before.
The headlines read "Britain unconscious within a matter of Time in the Old Town Tonight" it
President From this distance
and Mrs v. Inflation,
for the Britain Presses seconds.
This is War on Inflation.
is probably British Ex-
the most Eisenhower. that Britain seems
The President humane form of execution and spending too mach of her hurted to Curb Spending."
Mr Macmilion, scarcely known many Americans consider it too challengers among personalities own money and consuming
in the news just now. Senator here as Foreign Secretary, is humane. too many of her own goods, being depleted as a new Iron When Cart Austin Hall and Joseph McCarthy made a brief
Here in the United States, Chancellor, although some
Mrs Bonnie Brown Heady were appearance at Carnegie Hall in which also has
Anuncial wonder what are his specific executed in the gas chamber in New York at a "Patriotic Rally" problem, the trouble is exactly qualifications
for the attended by 3,000 people a few 14 Д financial Missouri Penitentiary
brutal kidnap murder of six- nights ago. the
are expert. opposite. Americans
Bobby year-old
Greenlease not spending enough of their
was astonished to hear the There were
of Dwight Eisenhower Losing the race
protest meetings
name money and not buying own
men walked round enough of their own goods,
against the "method of punish- booed by the crowd.
the first time I had ever heard Primrose Hill. One was Over 800,000 motor-cors,
MERICANS, never reluctant ment."
boo In the States of Maine, Min- Americans
Elsenhower's Mr John Strachey. The brand new, streamlined, with
to give advice, are making nesota, and all the latest push-button gad- suggestions.
Wisconsin capital name, and it demonstrates the other was Mr Claud Cock- The United States
of McCarthy's burn, who had left the gots, are gathering dust in believes our unions should cut punishment has been abolished, fanaticism thousand cities right across the down their demands for bigger and in North Dakota and Rhode audience.
Times and An independent film company
was editing a Dealers cannot get wages, that
19
only our managements Island the death penalty although prices should modernise our factories
usca for treason or murder in new on location in Meridian, cyclostyled sheet of political by A prisoner Mississippi, making a film based rumour called the Week. It have been slashed by as much and revitalise our selling committed
Ilfo sentence for on the wolf-whistle murder serving a methods and packaging pro-
put trial. Other
was the spring of 1986. includ- companies, cesses, and that our workers murder. Michigan has ruled out
ing Wamers, who specialise in *** execution except for treason. should abandon the fear of un- CAMI
The States which have topical pictures, are considering employment which makes them
slow оп the job and recall #bolished, or almost abolished, flms on the Deep South,
the death sentence report no from automation.
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ESPITE alleged hire-purchase restrictions, you can walk into almost any showroom on Broadway and take delivery of out a new 1956 model with no down
Our exports to this country are dwindling. We are losing In the molor - cur
murders since
drastic change in the number of the abolition of capital punishment. race Today
in the U.S.
to the Germans, because many
Parting gift
By GEORGE GALE
TWO
It wils
T
Now Mr Strachey knew Lord
Mountbatten. Mount- Louis batten read the Week, Mounte batten was a friend of King Edward VIII,
said John Claud Cockburn,
"The King,"
TOLLYWOOD 's interest-Strachey to there is HD is also interest payment at all, or very little, of our models are old fashioned little agitation for the abolition sor's autobiography, but nothing
prices for second- by present-day
American of the death penalty, ofthough definite has been settled. are prodigious, as standards, deliveries of such the public was shocked that I had a charming note from
Turn-in hand cars
wants to know who you are
So says Cockburn. He tells the story in his autobiography.
The King. say's Cockburn, wanted a potted biography Di
dealers try desperately to un- goods as chino and silverware repeated charges of electricity the Duchess the other day. him which "was to show
end the life Among other things she said: Majesty that the editor of the
were
much joy it (this column) obscure scandal-sheet
models. lood their now
needed to are often behind schedule, and Some makers, an attempt the quality of products like of the woman spy, Mrs Ethel I always to give
the lagging motor-car marmalade,
jam
and chocolates Rosenberg, in the chair.
What Britain deckies to do shet in the arm, are has deteriorated. industry a considering bringing out the The picture is not all black. wil have Impact here, 1957 models as early as August. Our turbo-prop planes, the
The Big Three In motor-car Viscounts are capturing the production have cut their out- business from New York tu
Mother-in-law
put further, and a wave of lay- Montreal and Toronto, from WHEREVER the
to Cleveland and
offa and frings in Detroit is New York
KID
Too Fast
was one
The Duke and I very
of the Right People. with are going to Florida shortly for ancestors.
and
Oxford what we hope will be a litio accent"—and a former connec- rest, and look forward to seeing ition with the Times. you upon our return Yours sincerely. Wallls Windsor." President The Duchess's friendship with
Maxwell, the
Months later, says Cockburn, goes now he is almost al- Elisa
great has not been re- Lord Louis thought that, it some
"Inside Elsa, whom I've seen sensational
inforna- Mamio and his mother-in-law, ney
# on for 16 years, had tion" could be published, Mrs Elivera Doud, who is 78, off and Mry Doud has closed down her Marilyn Monroe to lunch the might at the last moment save ond Denver home "Indefinitely and other day.
King from Baldwin Marilyn turned up the practically become
hour and a half late for from Abdication. aan
coming close to the crisis stage, Pittsburgh, und over a wide ways accompanied by his wife, party giver,
newed.
in the opinion of the unions; area in the Middle West. credit and
instalment buying have been' out of hand,
Americans are saving more and spending less. They've got all or most of the goods they need D and the
spreethe biggest in history--ls over.
Bloom is off
URING the past few months has
member American companies Dying
Blaff the Viscounts have gained 46
་
Henry Ford the Second told Mrs Doted her boon living at TALLULAH Bankhead is back
of the White House Junch and na a present Miss Cockburn agreed to publish
Muxwoll gave her a clock and the "inside information"
and in percent of business from rival She accompanied her daugh said: "Don't take this as a hint, one night kept his typists Millions of Americans yant ines flying American mode ter and son-in-lay to Thomas- but sometimes it will come in late so that when it arrived it could immediately be duplicated. handy. to straighten out their instal planes.
ville, Georgia, for the plantation
But it never arrived. Insteach Tallulah's back ment obligations, get out of The bloom is off the boom in holiday, and she was also in
of the bulky envelope of dia- debt, and accumulate money in both countries, in the opinion of Key West for the President's
closures, ali that - arrived_by the bank or in Government most business men.
Florida vacation.
rther from Fort bonds. Perhaps the British
on Broadway in "A Street-Belvedere was a slim envelope should copy them.
me the other day: "We simply the White House since before car Named Desire," and by the with the message, "The situa cannot expect this year to be Christmas and has been with Impact of her personality and Htion has developed too fast.” as good
1955. That wout the President and Mra Elsen. tromendous energy she wine a The Week was aà Commnunist- bo expecting Loo much,"
hower on every trip they have personal triumph.
sheet: elegant, witty, scandalous What England me today the les in the Eisenhower special be filmed hore, Producer John (bum "was -a, Communist.
made. BRITAIN'S battlo against in-
Sho
travelled 75,000 Gracio_Fields# ilfo story will but Communist. Cinud Cocló
It, in diation has received only US. often does tomorrow, paragraphs in the mass-selling American interat in the great train and aeroplanes during the Farrow will do the flm version astonishing that 20, years ago a popular newspapers here, but it British debate "to hang or not campaign tour of 1982.
of Gracie's stori
"Now is the King, or his advisers, could con Mrs Doud Alkes to talk, and Hour, which was written by rider, using a Commundet sheet. is receiving solemn attention in to hung" is high.
"The such newspapers as the Now In the U.B. eight Blates still says:
Prezident and Iconard Wells,
for their purposes. York Times, the New York, we hanging as a method of Mamle feet easy when I'm A young.. motres," not, yet Herald Tribune, and the Chris execution, and another state around. They like to keep an choses, will do the early sotnes, Jan Bcience Monitor,
Utal
but Gracie bezwelt will star,
Came suddenly
Bye on, ma
(**in Time (ofazrouble" by Chand Icoçkburn, Casperi Mart-Davis, SIDJ,