Hup!

When Italian officers put away their glittering swords and appear at cafe tables in Sam Browne belts, then tourists know that maneuvers are beginning. They began last week from Asti in Piedmont south across the Ligurian Alps to the Italian Riviera. The problem was obvious: the defense of Genoa and the manufacturing cities of Italy's north from a French invasion through the mountain passes and along the seacoast. The Fascist militia was mobilized, acting in reserve for the regular troops. In the field too were little King Victor Emmanuel and Il Duce, who hurried over from his conference with Chancellor Dollfuss of Austria fortnight ago (results of which were announced last week) to establish headquarters at Garessio.

Near Bricchetto as his car passed a squad of sweating artillerymen tugging a 105-mm. gun up a hill, out popped Il Duce to take his place with the privates at the drag ropes.

"Uno! Due! HUP!!" roared a sergeant, and up the hill went the cannon while the soldiers cheered. Later in the day, still full of energy. Il Duce took his place in the line again with chin up and swinging arms, pacing a battalion of the 67th Infantry in a route march to strain the legs of the shortest.

Hundreds of miles away in Rome there was more news to excite the Italian War Office. Il Duce himself took over the new Ministry of National Defense, combining Army, Navy and Air. Marshal Italo Balbo became Chief of Staff, another reward for his spectacular Chicago flight. Benito's other favorite, spade-bearded Dino Grandi, returned to his old post as Foreign Minister.

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