OMINOUS MOVE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 162, 8 June 1940, Page 7

OMINOUS MOVE

ITALIAN SHIPPING. ORDERED TO PORT. SAILINGS SUSPENDED. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received June 8, 9.80 a.m. NEW YORK, June 7. Italian Line officials state that all Italian ships now in neutral ports have been ordered to suspend their sailings, and all ships at sea have been ordered into the nearest neutral "ports. They state that all Italian ships are either in home or neutral waters. Cargo boats in American and southern waters have' been ordered to. put into various United States ports from Ivey West (Florida) to Cape Hatteras (North Carolina) by noon to-dav. The Moscow radio last night warned Italy that Russia would intervene if she feels her security is threatened in the Balkans stated an earlier London message. The announcer added • “Russia will also intervene whenever she considers that her security is at stake. Italy will do well to realise this.” An Istanbul message says that the Turkish Government has banned exports to Italy. Russia and Turkey have withdrawn' their heavy troop concentrations from their mutual frontier in the Caucasus. The withdrawals were niade as a gesture of good faith after an improvement in the two Powers’ relations. Turkey has greatly welcomed Russia’s support, for otherwise Yugoslavia would be without protection. Cairo reports' that an Italian steamer which was about to sail from Alexandria was ordered to unload her entire, cargo of cotton The Egyptian Government lias completed its plans for the wholesale evacuation of civilians from Cairo and Alexandria, and urges families to evacuate now and not to wait till the last moment. Rationing measures have also beer, formulated.

The Arab Legion, which is Egypt’s first Bedouin cavalry army, has taken up strategic positions with orders to wage guerrilla warfare, harrying the enemy’s lines of communication by night and remaining invisible in the daytime. The legionaries carry rifles, daggers and hand-grenades.