Rome, May 19.
Italy remained the big question mark in European affairs with her intentions and attitude still shrouded in mists of suspense. It was generally believed in Rome that active military intervention by Italy would follow closely on the launching of the German attack against the Low Countries, but it is now the tenth day since the German war machine reared into action, and despite Germany's initial military successes, Italy has yet to move. Some quarters believe that Italys "hour" is more remote than generally thought, and that Signor Benito Mussolini may continue for some time at least to embarrass the Allies by vituperative verbal attacks.
Italy, it is pointed out, has nothing to gain by forcing the issue. Intervention on her part would be unwise while a powerful combined British and French fleet is in the Mediterranean, and Italian action would precipitate the entrance of Turkey, and possibly Yugoslavia, into the melee.
Moreover, the outspoken American reaction to the German invasion has rot failed to impress the Fascist Government which now consider with much less scepticism than before the possibility of the United States entering the war.—Havas, "Marshal Petain is henceforth at our side as State Minister and Vice-
Premier and will place all his wisdom and energy at the service of the country unti] victory is gained.
"Tiger's Cub" Takes Post "In the present circumstances," M. Reynaud told the French people, "the head of the Government must bear the heaviest responsibilities and control national defence: so I took over the War Ministry, while M. Edouard Daladier has taken back the Foreign Affairs portfolio and M. Georges Mandel, Clemenceau's disciple, is taking over the Home Ministry.
"France's foreign policy and her representation abroad," the Premier continued, "will be given maximum efficiency by new diplomatic nominations which are about to be announced. All French administration must be adapted to the war. War spirit must prevail In business offices as elsewhere, every mistake will be immediately punished. Every Frenchman, whether in the Army or behind it, must take an oath to vanquish the enemy."
Reasons for Change President Albert Lebrun received the new Foreign Minister, M. Edouard Daladier, this afternoon and explained to him the reasons for M. Rey-nand's decision to combine his Premier's duties with those of War Minister, which were previously handled by M. Daladier.
The head of the Government, the president stated, must be responsible for the national defence and war services of the country to ensure the greatest efficiency and speed in the execution of all decisions.
M. Daladier, who held the War portfolio when he was Premier, re-Plied that he fully understood the needs of the situation.
French parliamentarians welcomed the rapid changes made by M. Rey-nand.
Political observers remarked particularly on the recall of Marshal Petain, "Victor of Verdun" in 1916, from Madrid where he acted as first French Ambassador to Nationalist Spain.
M. Rollin's place is taken in the reshuffled Cabinet by the Deputy, M. Barety, member of the Alliance Republicaine party and its representative in the Chamber of Deputies since 1919. He was under-secretary of Education and of the Treasury in the first and second Tardieu Cabinets of 1929 and 1930.
M. Mandel's appointment to the Home Ministry was particularly well received in all political quarters because the former Colonies Minister is well known for his energy and decisiveness, which should prove of the greatest value in routing out any "fifth column" agents that there may be in France—Havas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.