Washington, May 16.
ILLOWING receipt of "an alarming report regarding the possibility of Italy's entry in the war" President Roosevelt decided io send a message to Signor Mussolini asking him to keep his country at peace.
The report was received on May 14 and the message was sent at 2 a.m. on May 15 following a conference between White House and State Department officials.
It was dispatched to Mr, William Phillips, U.S. Ambassador to Italy, who transmitted it to Signor Mussolini—Havas.
New York, May 16.
President Roosevelt has decided to ask Congress to increase the National Defence Budget today.
The President is to deliver a speech io Congress, which will be broadcast over a national network. It is likely that the speech will be retransmitted to the whole world.
Mr. Stephen Early, the President's Secretary, who made the announcement said that the decision had been made following suggestions received from several Congressmen.—Havas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.