SUCCESSION TO THE ITALIAN THRONE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 31, 30 October 1937, Page 5

SUCCESSION TO THE ITALIAN THRONE

-Preaa Assn.-

Hqw II Duce Subdued the Royal Family CROWN PRINCE'S PLOT

(By Telegraph-

-Copyright.)

(Received 30, 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 28. Giacomo Costa, a prominent Naples barrister, who escaped from Lampedusa prison, on an island in. the Mediterranean, told the Daily Herald, the London Labour newspaper, how Signor Mussolini cowed opposition from. the Italian Royal Family by a threat to bar Orown Prince Umberto from the throne. King Victor Emmanuel's Opposition was based on army support, but collapsecl years ago when several generals were diemissed. 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, he moved freely among the workers. Finding the Abyssinian war unpqplar with all classes, even among influential Fascisti, he tried to seize the opportunity to restore the monarchy on a democratic basie, similar to that in England and Belgium. Crown Prince Umberto 's hopes were based on the 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, vncillation 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.